


Then and Now

by chaoticbeau



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Harry Potter, Bad Decisions, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Harry Potter Next Generation, I don't know it's complicated, I'm Bad At Tagging, LGBT characters, Maybe - Freeform, Mentions of alcohol, Mystery, Next Generation, Next-Gen, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Friendship, Slow Burn, Yearning, also kinda friends with benefits, because FUCK THAT, past and present pov
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:42:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26425834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaoticbeau/pseuds/chaoticbeau
Summary: Gwyn Lloyds was once a typical Hogwarts student; dreading her NEWTS, doing pranks with her friends, being in love with her best friend. But now everything is different. Now she sat in an Auror's interrogation room, the weight of her actions finally coming to light. Nothing would be the same again.Then everything was great. Now everything was uncertain.
Relationships: James Sirius Potter/Original Character(s), James Sirius Potter/Original Female Character(s), Original Character & Original Character, Original Character/Original Character
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I would just like to say fuck JK Rowling's transphobic ass. I do not agree with nor stand for that but despite how much of a scumbag of an author she had turned out to be she has created a wonderful - albeit a little troubled - world that means a lot to many people, myself included.

PROLOGUE  
_ NOW _

  
Gwyn tried to be more afraid. She tried to allow anxiety to run through her veins, tried to let it cloud her with thoughts that she would wish could be ripped away like it might have a few months before; she could only hope that some type of feeling would replace the overwhelming apathy at the fact she was locked in an interrogation room. More people had been in and out of the room that she could count. Some faces looked familiar, someone from a work party perhaps? Names had been dropped but they were quickly forgotten in her daze. Promises had been made but all it took was her continued silence until their true and very _empty_ nature was revealed. Same with the threats, though they seemed a little more promising. Not that they bothered her as much as the Aurors were clearly wanting. And Gwyn was feeling nothing. No fear as people discussed her fate. No worry as they refused to give her food until she spoke. No panic as they said her sister's name. That was the closest though; Gwyn felt her eyes flitter up at Auror _what's-her-face_ at the mention of Briallen. 

She guessed that’s why they brought her in but even as the door swung open and her familiar figure entered the room Gwyn just blinked slowly.

"Please wait outside until I'm finished, Brown." Her sister's voice was flat, not very demanding but Auror Brown rose to her feet and exited the room nonetheless. Bri was never very demanding. She was always more soft-spoken and understanding than to demand things from people, but even at her gentle requests, most people would do whatever she wanted. She had a certain hold over people, their mother had always said. With a simple smile and question Bri could find out almost anything she wanted from people she wasn't that familiar with, and with those, she was familiar with it often only took a raise of the brow and they were offering up information to her.

Gwyn sat up slightly, now leaning forward on her elbows to look at her sister. Bri stared back silently.

Gwyn couldn't help but search her face, noting how her usual cared for skin - olive and clear, albeit a little dry, Bri would complain - was dull in comparison. The dark circles that hung low under her hazel eyes almost managed to distract her from the breakout of pimples on her cheek and jawline or the fact that her face was unusually bare of makeup.

Gwyn sat up further, letting her bound hands run against the smooth table.

Bri looked like she hadn't slept in the two (three?) days that Gwyn had been in the interrogation room. Her eyes weren't as bright. Her hair was messy, pulled back into her most detested hairstyle; a bun. Her clothes were creased. Gwyn couldn't help but wonder what her sister's co-workers thought about their situation. Were they confused to see the perpetually neat Briallen looking so disheveled? Would they understand? Did they even know that their newest detainee and their coworker were related?

Bri spoke first. "If you tell me what happened I can make this go away, Gwyn." The words were too simple. Too formal, too stern. Bri's voice was usually so full of happiness, the sing-song of her Welsh accent only making the everlasting giggle that her tone held even more joyful. At that moment it seemed almost dead in comparison.

Gwyn didn't say anything. She didn't even move to acknowledge her sister any more than just moving her hands over the table as she often did. Content as her body heat warmed the metal more and more with each complete circle she made Gwyn just watched her sister. Bri's eyes followed the movement once, twice, three times before her own hands shot out.

Her grip was tight as she held on to her sister's hand. If circumstances were different Gwyn would have jumped forward, licked her sister's hand, or shouted at her for her vice-like grip until they were bickering loud enough for their mother or father to shout at them to stop acting like children, which would only incite pouting in the two definitely childish women. This time she just watched Bri grit her teeth.

"Stop it, Gwyn." She hissed. "You need to start taking this seriously. No more silence treatment, no more hiding stuff, and for Merlin's sake no more of the _fucking hand thing_."

"When has telling me to stop doing it ever worked?" The words had escaped her before Gwyn could even stop them. Her voice was quiet, cracking halfway through. Since arriving at the interrogation room she hadn’t drunk that much. She didn't trust there to not be veritaserum in the contents of the water they provided despite the logical part of herself that told her that it was illegal for them to use it on her without her knowledge, so she only took small tentative sips whenever she really needed. Now would be one of those moments, her throat so dry and scratchy that it was almost painful to talk.

Bri quickly let her hands fall to the table, watching carefully as Gwyn placed them in her lap, tangling them in her dirty t-shirt. "So, you're throwing away Bampi's legacy," She crossed her arms over her chest. "And you're not even going to tell me why?"

Gwyn swallowed thickly. There it was, the anxiety creeping up her spine. It was a dirty play, bringing up their grandfather and Bri knew it. Gwyn could see her forcing away a victorious grin at Gwyn's chagrin.

"I wrote Uncle Garrett back into the shop lease," Gwyn said the words tenser than she wanted. She shook her hands in her lap. "He'll be good enough until I find someone with an actual talent take over for him. Even if it does fall out of the family."

"Good enough?" Bri offered. Gwyn nodded. "When has good enough ever been good enough for you, Gwyn? You _love_ that shop."

"Yeah, I do. And the shop is also part of the reason I'm here so I wrote myself out of the will so nothing happens to it." Gwyn snapped and glared at her sister. "A-and we were talking about moving out of there anyway." It hurt, thinking about the shop. It made her chest heavy, each breath burning as it escaped. She had tried not to think about the shop or her grandfather in the time she had been in the interrogation room. She couldn't bear to think about how she let him down, about how his dream was going to be destroyed because of her own foolish mistakes. She couldn't care to think of the pain she was going to cause her family and her friends, how people would see them based on her decisions.

And she couldn't bear to think about him.

Gwyn already knew he was going to be the next tactic of manipulation from Briallen's mouth so she shook her head quickly. "He has nothing to do with this. I swear on Mam and Dad's life, Bri."

"If you don't tell me everything they are going to ask him to either give you up or bring him in to get you to talk."

"He doesn't know anything. How do they even know about him?"

“I had to tell them he was your roommate, Gwyn.” Was all Bri said. Gwyn felt her jaw drop, but Bri didn’t seem to care. She simply raised an eyebrow and said, “He’s willing to give us information.”  
Gwyn was sure she felt her chest collapse in on itself. He couldn't have said anything to them, he wouldn’t have. They would have told her before, right?

Gwyn shook her head again, hands dragging against the rough material of her trousers. "Bullshit. He hasn't been questioned because he doesn't _know_ anything. There is no reason to ask him."

"No, he hasn't been interrogated yet," Bri admitted. "But he’s willing to fully cooperate if he gets to come to see you." There was a long silence, a thick and uncomfortable. Bri's fingers tightened on her elbows as she leaned forward slightly. "If he admits to anything he's going to have it hard, Gwyn. Think about who his father is." Almost as soon as Bri whispered the word ‘father’ there was a knock against one of the walls. Bri nodded slightly and sat back in her chair, clearing her throat.

"If you don't cooperate and tell us what happened then they are going to send him in here to get you to talk.” Her words were louder now, even if just for effect. "I've been given orders by Auror Potter to bring him within the next two days, tomorrow if you're still refusing food. If you still won’t cooperate then we will use veritaserum on you, Gwyn."

"He can't see me like this," Gwyn said quietly, moving her tied hands to gesture towards her face. If it was anywhere close to as bruised as she imagined then he couldn't see her. Not a chance. "He'll say things that he doesn't mean, things that aren't _true_."

"He won't give you up, Gwyn," Bri said flatly. "We all know that. He loves you and he will take the fall for this if given the chance." She leaned forward in her chair. She knew she was winning; she'd do the exact same thing whenever she was beating Gwyn at wizards chess. The only difference between the two actions was that there was no pleasure in her face now. She looked sad at the mention of him, sadder than she did when she first saw her sister.

Gwyn pressed her lips together. "I won't let him get himself involved because he sees me bruised and bloodied. I-I can't do that to him. Not because I fucked up."

"Then talk to me." Bri pleaded. "I've seen you fuck up more times than I could count."

"I didn't mean for this to happen, Bri," Gwyn said quietly, staring down at the dried blood in her nails. "I know how bad everything sounds, but I swear I didn't mean for it to happen. I know I should have stopped or told you or something, but everything spiraled out of control and then James found me freaking out and we were going to get help but that man was there and was threatening James and you and I had to do _something_ so-so-"

"So you killed Avis Hatch."

Gwyn could only nod in agreement.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER ONE

_ THEN _

Dominique always complained about shopping at Diagon Alley. She hated it all; the crowds of over-excited first years running around, the trying on of uncomfortable school uniforms for what felt like the millionth time, having to lug around huge piles of over-expensive books. Ever since their third year when Dominique and Gwyn had managed to convince their parents that they were old enough to do their school shopping for themselves - with Dominique's older relatives around, of course given that neither of the two lived near London - she complained until they got home. Then she would nap.

Gwyn, however, loved everything about Diagon Alley. She loved the magical buzz that reflected the busy streets of London. She loved how the joy on the first years' faces as they all but skipped from shop to shop warmed her chest, leaving her feeling giddy and pounds lighter as she walked down the familiar streets. She loved stopping for ice-cream at the Florean Fortescue Memorial Ice-Cream Parlour and checking out the newest brooms available despite how much she hated flying; there wasn't much about Diagon Alley that Gwyn didn't like.

But most of all Gwyn loved visiting her grandfather's shop.

"I won't be too long," Gwyn promised once again as she and Dominique pushed past a small group of chatting men on wizarding robes that had stopped in the middle of the street. Dominique just scoffed and blew a strand of her strawberry blonde hair out of her face.

"You're always abandoning me for the old codger." She groaned.

"He's my Bampi," Gwyn said simply. "You're welcome to join, Dom. He'll just make you do some work too."

Dominique let out a bark of laughter. "Please, I'd rather endure a conversation with Maman Delacour about how I'm gonna meet a nice French boy who will be willing to have my very biological."

"It's not like its hard work," Gwyn said through broken laughter. Dominique always complained about the conversations with her grandmother, who didn't care that her granddaughter was pansexual but cared that she didn't want to have kids of her own. She thought happiness came from having children, Dominique thought it came from getting drunk with her girlfriend and this difference in opinion had been the center of many an argument in the Delacour-Weasley household.

"Way too many excited children for me to deal with." Dominique countered as if it were obvious that was the reason why she didn't want to join her best friend for a day's work at Ollivanders.

They had stopped now, right outside of Ollivanders. The shabby shop was comforting to her eyes, the peeling gold letters that read 'Ollivanders: Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.' as familiar as her own home. It was pretty much a second home. Gwyn spent most of her pre-Hogwarts life at her grandfather's shop, helping sort wands into piles that her Bampi just seemed to know without her needing to tell him as he told her stories of the mysteries of wandlore. Whenever Gwyn's parents needed someone to watch her and her sister they would always take them to the shop where Briallen would quickly go and nap while Gwyn helped their grandfather.

"Suit yourself, _Annwyl_." Gwyn pushed the door of the shop open with her shoulder, holding her newly bought textbooks in her hand as she looked over her shoulder. "See you later."

"Don't forget to dress hot!" Dominique called out as Gwyn walked forward. The latter let out a dismissive hum as the door slammed shut.

The inside of Ollivanders was pretty different from the photographs that Gwyn had seen only two decades ago. Then there was nothing much to the shop, just a spindly chair that Gwyn had broken when she was nine and piles and piles of wand boxes. Now, however, the shop was a little more presentable thanks to Gwyn's constant nagging when she was younger.

The main change was that the shop wasn't dusty. Gwyn had managed to convince her grandfather to hire a cleaner since he said he had better things to be doing in the shop than using a simple scouring charm on the place, so the layer of dust that used to cover every surface was no longer part of the Ollivanders experience. The second change that Gwyn managed to convince her grandfather to make is the purchase of shelves. Now wands were lined up perfectly along the shelves, still randomly grouped but tidy nonetheless. Since she was young Gwyn had feared making one wrong turn and knocking over the less than perfectly piled wands, sending them all to the ground and inevitably breaking each and everyone that her grandfather worked on. So shelves were definitely one of the first things she made her grandfather change when he started to take her suggestions. There was also a loveseat in the corner of the small shop with an armchair that Gwyn frequented next to it so that people could sit down on something that didn't leave splinters in their rear end. Typically no one sat there unless someone came with a grandparent of their own, or someone with limited mobility, but it was always nice for people to have the option.

Gwyn placed her books on the new glass counter, pressing them up against the wall so that they didn't take up much of the small space left on there otherwise. With her books and bag discarded Gwyn allowed herself to put on her apron, tying it snuggly around her waist as she called out for her grandfather.

A few seconds passed before a familiar voice called out, "Gwynhwÿfar."

"These wands out here ready for the shelf?" As she asked the word her grandfather entered the room, a warm smile on his face. Garrick Ollivander was an old man with thin white hair and steely blue eyes, though from the photographs that Gwyn had from the past twenty years his face hadn't changed much. It was just gaunter, more pallor in colour. Her mother told her that his face became thinner after he was kidnapped by Voldemort and since he had never gone back to his warm cheeked self.

"You're early," Ollivander said, his tone almost accusatory.

Gwyn shrugged. "Dominique remembered that she's lactose intolerant for once and decided not to wreak havoc on her body, so we didn't get ice-cream today." Ollivander blinked slowly. "We left early, Bampi. Dom has to prepare for the party tonight anyway."

"Ah, yes," Ollivander said softly as he walked forward. Gwyn was already putting wand boxes on to random shelves, not paying much attention to which box was going where. "Your mother told me about the party tonight. Are you going to be drinking?"

Gwyn ignored the question. "You spoke to mam?"

"She is my daughter, Gwynhwÿfar." He said simply. "I do speak to her sometimes."

Gwyn looked at her grandfather curiously. It wasn't that her mother and the man before her had a bad relationship, it was just a little... complicated. Garrick Ollivander had assumed from the moment that his wife gave birth to his first child that she would inherit his love of wandlore and eventually the shop. But Gwyn's mother didn't care for wandlore and neither did her younger brother.

Gwyn looked at her grandfather with a wide grin in place and said, "Mostly about me, right?"

"Of course, dear."

* * *

The day was quieter than Gwyn had expected. Every other day she helped out at her grandfather's shop on August 31st it had been almost manic, hoards of children and parents trying to pile into the tiny shop. Only a few people that come in that afternoon while she was there, most of them have come before she got there according to her grandfather.

As Gwyn boxed some of her grandfather's most recent wands - placing them into the boxes with a soft cloth over top to protect them - the door opened, the bell sending a clear chime through the shop.

Two people entered the shop, a young boy that was without a doubt a first-year and an older man. Even if it wasn't for the confusion and awe on their faces it would have been clear that the people before her were muggles; not many older people in Diagon Alley dressed as they came straight from the streets of London unless they were muggles.

"Welcome to Ollivanders." Gwyn greeted warmly. The man said a shaky hello, his eyes too busy wandering over the rows and rows of boxes and the candles that floated overhead. "I'm Gwyn. How can I help you today?"

"We were told to come to see Mr Ollivander to buy a wand for my son." The man placed a hand on his son back and lead him towards the counter. "Is he... around?"

Gwyn crossed her arms over the counter between them. "He's resting right now." Gwyn looked down at the boy, who was knotting his hands nervously in his Batman t-shirt. "But I can help you, Mr..."

He looked at his father, who just nodded. "Harley Joab."

"Mr Joab," Gwyn repeated. "You know, I think I might know just the wand for you. Shall I go get some for you to try out?" The boy nodded, slightly more enthusiastic now. Gwyn turned around dramatically and walked towards the shelves.

There was something about wands that called to Gwyn. She could remember when she was seven asking her grandfather how he knew what wand belonged to someone he had never met.

" _Sometimes it is the way a wizard looks but more often than not its because the wands call out to me,_ " He told her, leading her down the rows of stacked wand boxes before he stopped at once. " _Like this one. It called out to me the moment you first stepped into my shop I knew this wand would be for you, Gwynhwyfar._ "

Gwyn's eyes had been wide then. She couldn't imagine what that was like; hearing a wand's whispers and knowing without a doubt that a wand would be meant for someone. Part of her thought he might be wrong and the wand he picked out for her when she was six, the one he put aside special and never let her touch, wouldn't be hers. But the day she got her Hogwarts letter the first thing she did was go to her grandfather's shop to get her wand and sure enough the second the wand was in her grasp it erupted with light and warmth. Her grandfather was right and Gwyn's love for wandlore had only grown from there.

Gwyn let her fingers run over some of the boxes, thinking calmly about the boy she had just seen and about his father. He was tall, so his son would probably be too. Without even thinking Gwyn pulled out one box, holding it tightly in her hand as she rushed over to a different shelf. Harley seemed polite; he wasn't dirty on the knees or with grass stains on his t-shirts like some of the other eleven-year-olds were when they entered. A neater, more sleek wand perhaps. Another box was pulled out from where it sat. He was nervous, but something in his eye was alight with curiosity. She pulled another and then another.

Gwyn looked at the four boxes in her hand carefully before she walked back over to the counter.

"One of these will work wonderfully for you, Mr Joab. I'm certain of it." She carefully places all four boxes carefully in front of Harley Joab. "And they were all handmade by Mr Ollivander himself, so trust the wand because Mr Ollivander is the greatest wandmaker in the world. And I'm not just saying that because he's a grandfather."

The boy nodded, carefully soaking in every word Gwyn said to him. Gwyn opened up all the wand boxes. Both Harley and his father watched her movements intently as Gwyn went over each wand in her head, listing their woods, cores, and lengths. It doesn't hurt to be prepared, right?

Harley blinked owlishly when Gwyn stepped back and gestured at the boxes.

"If it's meant for you then the wand will pick you."

Harley once again looked at his father, who looked confused but gave his son a reassuring nod nonetheless. He stood forward and opened the first box. He pulled out the Acacia wand and gave it a quick wave. Almost as soon as he moved the wand it flew out of his hand, spinning high in the air until it hit was close to the ceiling. Then with a satisfying _pop,_ a bubble formed around the wand and it slowly sunk lower and lower until Gwyn could reach out and grab it.

"That was one of my best ideas. Wands could get broken without that charm helping recuse them when I couldn't do magic outside of school." She chuckled lightly as she placed the wand back. "Perhaps I was a bit ambitious with this wand. Acacia is a tricky wood. It doesn't react well if at all to most people."

Harvey nodded, paler than he was a minute ago, but he pulled the second wand out of the box. It was holly and Harley didn't even need to wave it before purple smoke spewed from the end of the wand. When Gwyn took the wand from Harley it was almost ice cold.

Gwyn could tell from the second he picked up the third wand that it had chosen him. Harvey's eyes widened as warm orange sparks shot from the end of the wand towards the counter. They fizzled out without causing any damage to anything nearby.

"Cool!" Harvey grinned as he held up his wand to show his father.

"That was amazing." His father said in a quiet voice before he turned his attention to Gwyn. "So it... chose him?"

Gwyn nodded. "It's an Aspen wand, 11 1/4 inches, unyielding with a unicorn hair core."

"Actual unicorn hair?" Harvey asked. Gwyn nodded, unable to fight the grin that pushed itself on to her face away. "What does that mean?"

"Aspen wands tend to choose owners that are kind and helpful. It's a very loyal wood if treated right. The unicorn hair also is faithful to its owner, but if you misuse the wand the hair can die, so be careful. But if you care for it then this wand will be loyal to you for years to come, Mr Joab."

The father passed Gwen 7 galleons and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "He'll look after it. Now, could you help us find where to go next?"

"Of course." Gwyn quickly climbed over the counter, slipping across it and sliding on to her feet. "Where do you need to go next, Mr Joab?"

"I need my books and dad said he'd take me to look at getting an owl."

Gwyn walked them to the door. "Flourish and Blotts for the books," she pointed at the shop almost directly opposite. "Look for Sarah McLaggen. Blonde hair, kind of small. She'll help you get everything you need quickly and easily. And then you can go to the Owl Emporium which is at the bottom of the street. I'd go there last though because some owls don't tend to like to be stuck in a cage for too long."

With thanks, Harley Joab and his father left Ollivanders. Gwyn waved them away before closing the door behind her, letting out a deep sigh. She was doing it; she hadn't had to go back to find a different wand for anyone today. She grabbed a few and one of them had been the wand of whoever was in front of her.

Feeling giddy Gwyn continued about her business, putting away the wands that Harley had tested before continuing to box up the others.

It was almost six o'clock. Plenty of time for her to go home, get changed, have something to eat before she headed off to Dominique's family cottage for their 'Last Year of Hogwarts, Let's Get Wasted' party.

With as focused as she was Gwyn didn't notice her grandfather enter the room, watching his granddaughter expertly sort the wands. She wrote on the labels in forced cursive, not even needing to double-check the wand to expect the wood or the core, the length, or the flexibility. Her own wand - a familiar one that Ollivander could remember making almost thirty-two years previously - laid beside her on the desk.

As he held the scroll in his hand a bit tighter he knew he had made the right choice.

"It relieves me so that wand lore chose you, Gwyn." The girl jumped as he walked closer to her. Her loud gasp made him chuckle lightly as he settled into his normal seat by the doorway that connected his 'break room', as Gwyn called it, the main shop floor.

"Bampi, don't scare me like that!" She pointed at him, face contorted with annoyance. It only took a few seconds before it fell into curiosity, her gaze locking on to the parchment he held in his hand. "What's that?"

"Come look."

Gwyn walked to him. The scroll was old, much older than her grandfather was. The parchment was an old, worn yellow colour but other than that it was in perfect condition. Protected with magic, Gwyn presumed.

"It's the deed to this shop," He said. "It has been passed down for years; from Ollivander to Ollivander since the shop opened."

Gwyn took the scroll from her grandfather when he held it out for her. She let her eyes wander over the names listed. She didn't recognize many of the names, but she did recognize the 'G' pattern that ran through them. She knew some names; Gervaise, Garrick, Garrett, and Grace. Gwyn let her eyes wander over the mother and uncle's names before she continued on to the last name. _Her name._

"Wait, that's..." She couldn't help trail off. The words were quiet she wasn't even sure that she actually said them, but Ollivander let out a happy chuckle and she knew that she had heard them. "What about Uncle Garrett? He was-"

"Unfortunately wandlore did not choose my son," Garrick said gently, the smile on his face faltering slightly. "And it didn't choose your mother, but it had chosen you, Gwynhwyfÿr." He stepped forward and enveloped her hands in his own, still wrapped around the parchment. "I'm not going to be around for much longer and I want to retire before I die-"

"Bampi-"

"Once you finish school," he said firmly, not letting her interrupt. "I want you to take over the shop."

Gwyn stared at her grandfather, trying to find any trace of joke or a 'but' that may follow but she found nothing but the fond expression he wore. After that it took less than a second before Gwyn broke down, squealing in a way she would definitely deny later when this story was told and wrapping her arms around her grandfather. For once she didn't think about how lithe his frame was, how different it was from the last time she hugged him, and reasons why. She was way too happy to feel anything but pure _joy._

* * *

For what felt like hours after that Gwyn and Ollivander discussed the newest development in Gwyn's life, a cup of tea in hand with some Leaky Cauldron pub grub in front of them.

Ollivander had prepared a lot of conditions for her to take over the shop:

She had to pass her NEWTs with more than acceptable grades otherwise her mother wouldn't let her take over the shop in entirety. Most distressingly for Gwyn, she had to endure the formal party that Ollivander said the Ministry of Magic always put on when a new owner took over one of the iconic shops at Diagon Alley. It was a big deal, apparently, and the last one they had was after the Wizarding War was over, so the ministry was itching for something to celebrate in such a way again. Finally, she had to promise to continue to study wandlore. Of course, she had to know everything there was to know about wands.

Gwyn was _buzzing_ with excitement. It had been her dream since she first entered her grandfather's store to work there; she never thought she would get the opportunity to _run_ it. Working there was enough, it always had been. And with every negative thing, her grandfather said about owning a wand shop - and there was a lot - Gwyn found herself growing more and more eager to start this next chapter of her life.

She just had to wait a year.

By when they had finished their food it was gone ten-thirty and Gwyn was going to be late. Great. Now she was going to have Dominique on her ass for the next week.

With a quick goodbye and a promise that she would write to her grandfather more than she did last year, Gwyn used her grandfather's floo network to get home.

No one was there so she quickly rushed around the house, stripping as she ran to her bedroom, then to her sister's room to borrow a t-shirt, then to her parent's room for socks, and back to her room before she ended up in the bathroom, more breathless than she'd care to admit. In the end, she settled on a simple outfit of a plain white vest top with thin straps, red skinny jeans, and burgundy leather ankle boots with a heel she would surely regret in a few hours. She did her hair as she brushed her teeth, letting the messy brown locks that had been in a bun all day fall to her shoulders. She did her makeup as quickly as she could, skipping eyeshadow all together and just pairing a mediocre eyeliner and red lip combo. She wasn't that great at eyeshadow anyway so whatever could skim off some time was worth it.

Gwyn used the floo network to her Ollivander's once more having not trusted herself to apparate all the way from her home in Wales to Dominique's families cottage in England, so when she was finally done, brushing off the dust and trying to make herself presentable again until she finally apparated on to the coast of Tinworth, Cornwall. She could already hear music blasting even from half-way down the beach where she had to apparate. The cottage had never been was brightly light as it was then.

Small flames in jars paved the way towards the door, something Dom had learned from her Aunt Hermione. Through the window, she could see crowds of people laughing and dancing as sparks of light fell from the ceiling, not that anyone seemed to notice them surrounding them. Through the other window, she could see the living room is illuminated by soft colours; beautiful blues and perfect purples, pearlescent pinks, and gorgeous greens.

Dominique was clearly going all out this year.

The first thing Gwyn noticed when she opened the door was how many more people were at the party than last year. Last year the party was small, maybe twenty of their closest friends and Dominique's family came. This year it seemed half of their school year came. People crowded each room of the small cottage, each room full to the brim. With the staircase blocked off people spewed out into the back garden, dancing in the sand as a few people dared brave the icy water with little clothing on.

The second thing Gwyn noticed was her best friend. Dominique was sitting on her girlfriend's lap, talking into her ear as Manali Patil laughed loudly over the blaring music. She had dressed up for the occasion, obviously. Dominique prided herself on being a good hostess.

She wore a dark blue dress that fell just short of her knees to match her newly dip-dyed hair that was a similar colour. The neckline plunged in a way that even had Gwyn following it down to her chest. The silver heart-shaped necklace that was exactly the same as her girlfriends sparkled in the light, perfectly matching her silver heels.

Gwyn didn't even know she was staring until she felt someone nudge her.

"Stop creeping on my sister." Louis Weasley told her.

Louis looked almost exactly like his sisters, although his hair was more of a dark blonde compared to Victoire's perfect blonde hair and Dom's more reddish-blonde locks. Other than that they were almost identical, the same straight nose and wide mouths. The same freckles over their cheeks and chests and the same thick lashes that were blonde on the bottom lash line It was almost scary how alike the two looked. Gwyn guessed it had something to do with the one-eighth veela that they all possessed.

"She's hot." Gwyn teased, grinning happily at her friend. Louis handed her a Simison Steaming Stout.

"Aw, thanks, sweets." He teased. "You're hot too."

"Hey, don't give me hope or I'll shoot my shot."

"You're not really my type."

"I know," Gwyn pressed a hand to her heart and pretended to look hurt while Louis laughed at her. "We would be so good together but, alas, I lack a penis."

Conversations with Louis were always like that, jovial and full of laughter. In the six years that Gwyn had known him, she could count on one hand the number of times she's seen him at serious. It was usually only when he was performing his brotherly duties of intimidating the people Dominique brought home to meet her family.

Gwyn drunk the drink she was offered as she said goodbye to Louis, trying her hardest to push past the crowd so she could get over to her friends. She didn't really like stout that much. She didn't even like beer that much, but she would drink what she was offered until she and Dominique inevitably moved on to the Firewhisky. After all, all alcohol was a means to an end; the taste didn't matter when the goal was to get tipsy and have fun with her friends.

It was Mani that first noticed Gwyn, tapping her girlfriend's shoulder and pointing to the oncoming teen. Gwyn couldn't help but grin when she saw how Manali's outfit matched Dominique's, her off the shoulder t-shirt a matching blue that complimented her brown skin well. Her round eyes were lined with a sharp wing of eyeliner which Gwyn knew she was an expert at doing and her long black hair, usually straight against her back and near her waist, was pulled up into two low buns that were highlighted with what Gwyn assumed was a temporary blue colour. Unlike Dominique, who had quickly jumped off her girlfriend's lap and rushed towards Gwyn, Mani's parents would kill her for dying her hair.

"You said you'd be here for ten o'clock!" She shouted as she grabbed Gwyn by the wrist and pulled her through the rest of the crowd. "You are very, unreasonably late." With a point, Dominique moved the person that was sitting on the armchair next to where Manali sat and forced Gwyn into the seat. Dominique then went back to sit on her girlfriend's lap.

"I was with Bampi." Gwyn all but shouted just to be heard over the music.

"The shop stays open past six?" Mani asked, doubt clear in her tone. Dominique furrowed her eyebrows and stared at her friends, clearly waiting for the rest of the story from Gwyn or more observations from Mani.

"For me it does." Gwyn grinned. She couldn't help remember the good news and had to shrug the excitement off again. "I'll tell you when I don't have to scream it over the music."

Dominique seemed to accept this answer and went on telling Gwyn about all the planning she had to put into the party. Gwyn didn't even bother telling her that she was with Dominique when she was planning most of it. She just let the other girl continue on and on and on with her complaining. Every now and then Mani would look over Dominique's shoulder and roll her eyes at Gwyn, who tried her hardest now to grin.

"-and then dad was complaining about how only Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry were going to be at dinner because Aunt Hermione was working late and-" Dominique's rambling was cut short as Gwyn felt lips on her cheek. She jumped higher than she would care to admit to as she darted around, ready to hit whoever was behind her.

She didn't hit him though. Partly because as soon as she saw the goofy grin in place on his face she immediately recognized the familiar action and partly because he was already climbing over the back of the armchair so he could sit on the arm beside Gwyn.

James Potter's arm snaked around Gwyn's shoulder. "Long time no see, Gwyn-ville."

Gwyn rolled her eyes. "I literally saw you last week, James."

"Only for, like, an hour."

"You didn't honestly expect my parents to let you stay when you just broke in late at night using their Floo Network to tell me that you finally got the Hengist of Woodcroft's chocolate frog card, do you?" James mimicked Gwyn until she poked him aggressively in the side, to which James' response was just a non-committal shrug. It wasn't like James had never been at the Lloyds household later than that; he had stayed over more times then Gwyn could count along with Dominique and the rest of their gang. It wasn't even that her parents didn't like him because Mrs Lloyds couldn't get enough of the boy. The excuse that her parents had used was that the Department of Magical Transportation required their workers to be at work early in the morning and the ruckus that James made after falling over a new houseplant was too much for them to bear. Personally, Gwyn had enjoyed hearing her friend shout profanities at a houseplant so loudly that all the residents of Glenville Road were questioning it the next day.

"You're parents are hard-arses." He gently squeezed her bare arm and placed his head on top of hers. Gwyn looked over at the two people in front of her in confusion. Dominique shrugged as if she didn't see anything different from James' normal behaviour.

"He's been drinking since like eight o'clock." Mani offered. Gwyn nodded with a soft 'ahh' before she turned herself slightly to look at James.

He hadn't shaved since she last saw him, Gwyn noted. There was dark stubble growing on his jawline which Gwyn knew his mother would definitely make him shave before going back to school. He was wearing Gwyn's favorite jacket to steal, a red bomber jacket, and a plain white t-shirt with black denim shorts and no shoes. His dark hair was as messy usual, sticking up at all angles with no hope of taming it. James and Gwyn similar in that aspect; messy, unkempt hair that they oftentimes refused to attempt to brush. His face was flushed slightly, his usually olive cheeks tinted with the familiar red of alcohol. Gwyn leaned forward slightly and poked said cheek.

"Pretty sure you're an alcky." She said accusingly.

James feigned shock. "I am only drinking to _celebrate_ our last summer before we finish school."

"Please, you're just looking for an excuse to bust out the butterbeer, you alcoholic." Mani agreed.

"Speaking of," James took his arm off Gwyn long enough to lean behind him to where there was a cooler to pull out four bottles of butterbeer. "I provide the good shit. Butterbeer and Firewhisky."

"You provide nothing. Aunt Ginny got those from Seamus and Dean at the Hogs Head for you to bring." Dominique said accusingly as James tossed her two of the bottles, one for her and one for Mani who nodded in thanks. James shrugged before he handed the other bottle to Gwyn.

James' arm wound itself around her shoulder once again as he leaned forward and whispered, "You're welcome," into her ear. Before Gwyn could say anything to him about being creepy with his slightly murdery grin he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

It wasn't the first time James had kissed Gwyn and she doubted it would be the last. She was always the one he'd go to during parties to tease and make out with and as long as he wasn't too drunk Gwyn didn't mind it too much. That's why when he pressed his lips to hers she leaned into him, gripping his t-shirt as he cupped her neck.

She could taste the alcohol on his lips, a taste she always associated with him. Butterbeer and firewhisky and beer all mixed into one teenager dread for the next morning. Gwyn allowed herself to be pulled into the taste. That is until something hit the back of her head.

"Stop making out with my cousin!" Dominique shouted as Gwyn turned around. She was reading another bottle cap to throw at Gwyn's head when Gwyn narrowed her eyes at her.

"I have to deal with you and Mani making out all the time." Gwyn objected.

"We're a cute power couple," Mani said wrapping her arms around Dominique tighter. Dominique leaned further into her girlfriend as if that were even possible. "You guys aren't even together. You just make out when he's drunk."

"I'm not drunk." James shouted at the same time Dominique said "True." The simple words started an argument between the two cousins, the lighthearted bickering a familiar sight to the masses of Hogwarts. With them distracted Gwyn just continued to drink her butterbeer until they were both red in the face and quietened down.

They hung out nearly every day at Hogwarts, their friendship groups being very entwined it was inevitably really so the two were almost always bickering with each other. More so then James bickered with his own siblings. Whenever James and Dominique were together for longer than a few hours they would spend most of it arguing until they either had to be pulled away or they were both about ready to pass out from lack of oxygen. By this point, the other members of their group were used to it.

While the two cousins caught their breath Mani and Gwyn spoke quietly, discussing their holiday since they had last seen each other. Mani had been on a short trip around various places in East Asia with her twin brother, Mitul, and their uncle. They wanted to travel the world, so the year before the traveled most of Europe and were already discussing traveling either North America, South America, West Asia, and Africa once they finished Hogwarts.

Despite the loud music and the drunk teens that danced wildly behind them, it was fairly relaxed. James' spare hand moved through Gwyn's hair as much as it could without getting stuck in knots, his other arm still around her waist. His hand was settled in the dip of her hip, cupping the curve of fat there. Everything was calm... until something caught Dominique's eye.

She dived off Mani's lap screaming colourful swear words as she went. The small group looked over to where she rushed to find a couple trying to sneak upstairs. Dominique was shouting at them, her words now droned out by the music. After a second of Dominique's shouting Mani stood up, sighing loudly.

James and Gwyn looked at her in confusion. "Someone should stop her from killing them." She said as if it was obvious.

Gwyn watched as Mani went over to her girlfriend, cupping her face and pulling her in for a small kiss to stop the blonde from screaming. Dominique did immediately, the anger on her face replaced by a please grin. Gwyn was about to loudly shout something about how mushy they were being, but James had something else in mind. He quickly jumped off the armchair and grabbed Gwyn's hand, pulling her up behind him.

Before Gwyn could even say anything he shook his head. He dragged her through the tightly packed crowd until, with a quick burst and stumble, they were outside.

One thing Gwyn loved the Shell Cottage. About three times a year she would spend time there; once for Dominique's birthday parties during the Christmas break, a weekend over the Easter holiday, and the before school parties. Despite how much time she spent there it never became any less breathtaking at night.

Dominique had decorated the back garden much like the front with small flames in jars and sparkles falling from the sky. But the beach was even more beautiful; dark and calm and clear. Even over the loud music, the crashing over the waves sounded and the glimmer of the moonlight on the water seemed even more magical than the real magical ones that fell from the sky. The salty breeze was cold, so much colder than the warmth Gwyn didn't know was suffocating her. Even the sand was cool to her touch as she and James settled on a patch of grass a little bit away from the cottage. The cliff-top view was breathtaking even without the influence of alcohol.

Gwyn sometimes forgot that even Britain could be beautiful.

The sat there for a while in silence, sitting beside each other but not touching. It was relieving for Gwyn really; James' touch always seemed to make her warmer than she'd care to admit. As much as she loved it when James put his arms around her (especially when it was paired with the glares of James' wannabe girlfriends) it always gave her friends and family reasons to laugh at her later as she attempted to cool her warm cheeks, which she didn't like as much.

"It was _way_ too loud in there," James said, his voice loud against the quiet that was around them. The music was quieter now, the oceans sound not so stark to her eardrums. Gwyn hummed contently.

Gwyn could feel James watching her. His gaze was hot on her skin, making her cheeks grow warm against her will. Gwyn looked at him for the first time in what felt like an hour.

His pupils were huge. The darkness dominated the blue-green colour of his iris' much like the red dominated his cheek.

Gwyn grinned. "You're kinda drunk."

"Am not!" James feigned offense, his hand pressed against his heart. The expression only lasted a second. The minute Gwyn raised an eyebrow he let out a snort and a small sound of admittance.

Once he had settled James leaned forward and cupped Gwyn's jaw. She leaned into his touch, moving her head until his thumb rested over her lips. She pressed a small kiss to the digit and tried to fight the turn of her lips when she heard James let out a shaky sigh.

Unfortunately for Gwyn her body decided to sabotage her when James moved towards her. His lips were almost on hers when a shiver wracked her body, making her move back jerkily. James chuckled loudly, moving his hand from her jaw to her leg.

"Not funny!" Gwyn barked, although the smile on her face ruined the effect of her feigned annoyance. She couldn't help but smile when James was laughing. Gwyn rubbed her arms quickly, trying to reduce the goosebumps that definitely show that she hadn't shaved her arms in almost a year when James shrugged over his bomber jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

James smiled softly. "It's your favourite jacket I own, right?" Gwyn nodded as she nuzzled into the jacket. "Keep it then."

"Really?" Gwyn asked excitedly.

"Only because it looks better on you than me." James nudged Gwyn with his shoulder. She returned the action a second later. And they both sat there in silence, watching the sea hit the sand and just enjoying each other's companies.

Silence with James was never uncomfortable. With some people, it was too heavy, too thick, too enveloping. With James, it was just right. She could think clearly without thoughts of what James could be thinking of taking over her mind. She didn't worry about whether or not he was uncomfortable in the silence because she knew that if he was he would happily break it.

They often spent time like that. Gwyn couldn't even begin to count the late-night hours they both spent, sitting in the quiet of one area they snuck off to or another. It was the obvious answer really; neither of them slept well but the tiredness still made it hard to talk. Enjoying each other's sleepy silence just made sense to them.

Gwyn heard James shift in the sand to face her. "You excited to go back?"

"Oh, no making out so we go to questions my family asks me during dinner?" Gwyn didn't even look at James as she gave the sarcastic answer, but she knew he rolled his eyes. "Honestly, I'm more excited to finish."

"But we have exams and shit. I wish we could relax more and just enjoy Hogwarts for the last time."

"Well, I have shit to be excited about once we finish."

"Oh?" Gwyn finally looked over at James again. He was laying back in the sand, his arms behind his head on a patch of flattened marram grass. He was smiling up at her, his eyes crinkled at the edges.

"Mhm."

"Pray tell."

"It's a secret until tomorrow where everyone is _sober_." With the word, Gwyn flopped down on the sand next to the boy. Almost as soon as she laid beside him James reached over and took her hand in his own, letting it rest on his stomach.

"Sounds serious."

"Mhm."

For a second they just stared at each other, brown eyes searching hazel ones until James opened his mouth to speak, only to be distracted by a different one.

"Come on you sappy gits!" Dominique shouted loudly from somewhere behind them. "Time for shots."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Two

_ THEN _

Gwyn almost regretted the events of the night when it was time to leave for Hogwarts the next morning. Doing shots of firewhisky is never a good idea when you have to wake up obscenely early the next morning and spend the entire day traveling. Normally Gwyn made a point of not drinking too much at Dominique's 'End of Summer Holidays' parties, but it was hard to turn down the shots that were offered to her when they came with the knowledge that this would her _last_ 'End of Summer Holidays' party.

Briallen seemed to love it when Gwyn would go a little loose at these parties.

She jumped up and down on her sister's bed, shouting at the top of her lungs and without a doubt annoying the neighbours. Not that they weren't probably used to it by that point; Bri would wake her younger sister up every year she had been at Hogwarts in the same way. The only difference now is Gwyn would be hungover and meekly swinging an arm at her sister's legs.

"Come on, Wyn!" Bri bounced excitedly, using her feet the pull Gwyn's quilt down past her shoulders. "Can't be late to your last year at school."

"Fuck off, Bri!" Gwyn grumbled. She feebly tried to pull her quilt back over her head to block out the glare of the sun through her curtains. Bri was too fast though as she flopped down on to the bed, keeping the quilt firmly pulled down. The second her butt collided with the bed there was a loud crack followed by a shout upstairs by Mrs Lloyds.

Bri already had her wand out. "Nothing, mam! Gwyn just pushed me and I broke the bed. I'll fix it now!"

"Bullshit!" Gwyn snapped louder than she wanted. Bri gave her that familiar shit-eating grin as she waved her wand and the bed fixed itself beneath them both. Bri had got her way nonetheless; Gwyn had sat up in bed to shout at her sister.

Bri settled next to her sister so they were shoulder to shoulder. It was weird to see her sister there on a Wednesday morning, Gwyn thought as she observed her sister's loose jeans and a button-up shirt. She would normally be at work, but apparently Head of Magical Law Enforcement, Mr Harry Potter himself, was pretty understanding when older sisters wanted to say goodbye to their younger sister before they went to school. Gwyn assumed it was just because he liked her, after all, Harry always applauded her for somehow managing to keep his son out of trouble, not really knowing just how much trouble they all got into. Unlike when he was in school his children and Gwyn were just better at not getting caught, Gwyn had concluded because over the years they had certainly gotten into a lot of trouble.

They sat in quiet, Gwyn only barely managing to keep her eyes open until Bri finally realised what was needed. "Accio coffee."

Gwyn's usual mug came flying towards them quickly, but not a drop spilled even as it came to an even quicker stop in front of Bri. She plucked the mug from the air and handed it to her sister who took her thankfully.

With some coffee in her system, Gwyn felt slightly more human, enough so that she could actually hear what her sister was saying.

"It was fun." Gwyn shrugged. "Same as every year really with about a million more people."

"Why did you come home so late then?"

"What time did I get home?"

"Like gone three this morning." Gwyn groaned in response to her sister's words. She had only slept for three hours. She knew the night before that she would have had to wake up at six in the morning to get ready for her day of travel to London, but somehow the thought didn't cross her mind the night before so now she had to endure an early morning alongside a thumping headache.

"I didn't trust myself to floo home until Dom's parents got back to assist me," Gwyn admitted sheepishly. The events of the night before were a little fuzzy but Gwyn knew without a doubt that she did more shots of firewhisky than she wanted to and she never would have let herself use the Floo Network when she was past tipsy. The amount she drunk was probably Dominique's fault. No, _definitely_ Dominique's fault.

Bri continued to ask a question about the night before and Gwyn answered them as best she could, strongly highlighting the part where she saw Bri's best friend younger brother strip off and run into the ocean with a bottle of butterbeer in hand thinking it was a wand. Bri was wheezing by the time Gwyn finally finishing recounting how the boy kept trying to use hexes that he mispronounced on the poor soul that tried to get him from the water, only to receive a bottle to the head when he evidently wasn't hexed.

They had an hour until they had to leave. It was an almost four-hour car ride to Kings Cross Station that year since Mrs Lloyds wasn't able to arrange a port key for just her family that would get them to London in time.

"Honestly, what's the point in her working for the Department of Magical Transportation if she can't even use it to get us to London quickly." Gwyn groaned as she rummaged through her wardrobe for her most comfortable clothing that wasn't already packed up into her trunk. "Why do I only own skinny jeans? Bri, lend me a pair?"

"So you can keep them all year and never give them back?" Bri scoffed before she leaned over the bed and grabbed a t-shirt from the pile that was building up there. "I've been looking for this!"

Gwyn let out a dismissive sound and continued moving through her wardrobe. It wasn't like she owned a lot of clothes. Unless they were pyjamas most of her clothing was pretty form-fitting and _not_ hangover appropriate. She had a few skirts and dresses and the weather outside wasn't awful considering they were in Wales, but those items may not necessarily be Gwyn appropriate. She had a habit of sitting with her legs wide open and she really didn't want to put up with her mother complaining about it for four hours. But she didn't have anything else.

In the end, he wore her baggiest grey t-shirt tucked into her favourite high waisted navy skirt and black tights that had only one ladder running up the back of one of the legs, which was pretty rare for Gwyn's tights. Paired with her worn down combat boots, a quick ponytail from laziness, and James Potter's bomber jacket Gwyn was ready to leave for her final year at Hogwart.

Not without some breakfast first, of course.

* * *

Three hours and forty minutes later saw the Lloyds family on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, quickly pushing past the crowds as the clock read almost ten to eleven. With another crash on the motorway that held them up much longer than Mrs Lloyd was happy with, they were almost twenty minutes behind schedule and Gwyn could see her mother grinding her teeth in panic. They had succeeded in getting all of Gwyn's belongings collected at the luggage drop off but Mrs Lloyds still panicked nonetheless, barking loudly at her children and husband to hurry up.

Gwyn allowed herself the moments her mother was pretty much dragging her across the platform, perfectly avoiding crashing into another family saying their goodbyes, to look around. She could see familiarity all around her; people that she had never spoken to but had seen as she walked through the corridors of Hogwarts and voices that she'd heard shouting across the Great Hall reaching her ears. Some people that she actually did know would wave at her, quickly promising to say a proper hello later as they talked with friends and families. Gwyn would nod and smile, her attention already occupied with looking around for the group of people she needed to find.

"Who's jacket is that?" Gwyn was only slightly aware that her mother had spoken before Bri nudged her. Her mother repeated the question, eyeing up the jacket in question and Gwyn looked down at her arms, truthfully unsure of what she was even wearing before she shrugged. The last thing she needed was her mother teasing her about wearing James' clothes _again._

As Gwyn ignored her mother's comment and waved hello to Ned Davies, one of the Gryffindor Beaters in her year and his younger sister whos name Gwyn could not remember but she was sure she had had more than a dozen conversations with, her own sister nudged her.

"Nerds alert." Gwyn followed her pointing finger to where the familiar crowd of Weasley's and Potter's stood.

Her eyes immediately found James. Not because life was like a romantic comedy and they would meet eyes and James would grin coyly and it would make Gwyn's stomach jump as feelings of love dawned on her. Not even because she just remembered the record-breaking amount of time they spent making out the day before. No, it was because James Potter was wearing a bright yellow 'Mr Pisshead' t-shirt.

"He's got the t-shirt of shame." Gwyn laughed, nudging Briallan back as they walked closer and closer to the other group. "That means he spewed last night."

"You kids drunk that much?" Mrs Lloyds asked, sounding completely unamused. Mrs Lloyds was always one to let Gwyn drink as long as she knew her own limits and didn't do it dangerously; in a friend's house or at the Three Broomsticks was fine as long as she didn't overdo it. At least that way she knew her own limit for the future. And Gwyn was proud to say that she _rarely_ overdid it. However, last night was not one of her better nights.

Gwyn shrugged. " _I_ didn't drink that much because I have self-control."

"Since when?" Mr Lloyds teased with a loud guffaw of laughter. Gwyn made a show of narrowing her eyes at her father, but when she opened her mouth to speak she was interrupted by a familiar voice calling her name.

The warm arms of Molly Weasley wrapped around her before she could walk around her cart to meet the elderly woman. Gwyn had known Molly since Easter break of her first year at Hogwarts when the elderly woman demanded to meet the girl that not only Dominique but James _and_ Louis had been talking about in their letters home and every time Gwyn saw her she was always given a hug followed by a signature Molly Weasley Cheek Pat.

Standing with their grandmother was almost every Weasley and Potter child; James, Albus (who was looking around the crowd probably looking for his own friends) Lily, Rose, Hugo, Molly II, Lucy, Louis (who didn't even attend Hogwarts anymore but never passed up an opportunity to say goodbye to his family), Freddie and Roxanne. Gwyn almost didn't get enough time to greet the rest of the Weasley-Potter crowd because almost as quickly as Molly had hugged her James moved to do the same, but instead of his hug ending with a Molly Weasley Cheek Pat, James' hug ended with his lips meeting hers.

Gwyn didn't know how to react so she just stood there, confused and questioning the sobriety of the man before her. If circumstances were different she knows she would have melted into his lips, but as her hand moved to grab on to his thoughts of her parents made her pull away instead. When she pulled away James was grinning wickedly, his hands gently pulling at the sleeves of Gwyn's new jacket. Almost as soon as the fact that she was wearing one of James' _favourite_ jackets popped into her head Ginny Potter vocalized her concerns.

"Isn't that James' jacket?" She asked the shit-eating grin that James had inherited from her in place. Gwyn shrugged lazily, facing growing warn under the confused gazes of her family and friends. She didn't need to look at her parents to know that they were staring at her in confusion; she could feel their eyes on her. "You can pay for it then, Wyn. That jacket was, like, eighty quid." Ginny wiggled a finger at them as James chuckled lightly and wrapped his arm around Gwyn's waist, his fingers tracing the curve of her hip. "And don't think you can pay it off from sucking face with my son either."

"Ew." James and Gwyn said in union.

Ginny's wiggling finger was put still by her husband grabbing her hand, entwining their fingers before he pressed a firm kiss to her hand as laughter passed over the group. Just the noise alone was enough to send warmth through Gwyn's body, which was only made more intense as James' thumb moved under the waistband of her skirt, gently rubbing the fabric of the t-shirt she had tucked into her skirt. His thumb burnt her skin even through the fabric of her t-shirt and Gwyn was one hundred percent sure that her face was now bright red. So she moved, turning to face her parents, but James' hand didn't move away from her.

Mr and Mrs Llloyds wore a similar look; a familiar face of furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes that Gwyn had inherited. Her mother's lips were also pressed into a thin line much like her sisters were. The difference was Briallan was clearly trying to hide the grin that was threatening to form. Gwyn sent her a quick glare before setting her gaze on her parents.

"I, erm- y'know... I'll see you guys later." Gwyn heard Dominique snort from behind her and she made a mental note to kill her later as her father took a step forward.

His eyes followed from James' hand to his face. "Can I have my daughter please, Mr Potter?"

With a last, lingering trace of the thumb against her skin James removed his arms from Gwyn, holding his hands up in an 'I surrender' motion. Mr Lloyds glared at James as he moved towards his daughter, his eyes burrowing into James' familiar figure until his own arms were wrapped around Gwyn's shoulders.

Gwyn wasn't usually one for hugs (she really only endured them because the Weasley-Potter family were some of the most affectionate people she knew) but it was something her parents demanded of her before she left for school. She didn't mind it as much anymore; it was nice to hold her parents close for the last time until Christmas.

"You stay safe, yeah?" Gwyn nodded into his shoulder, fingers tapping against his back. After one more _pat_ to the shoulder and he unwrapped her, allowing Mrs Lloyds to give her daughter a quick hug before he said, "And stay away from these rotten boys, alright Gwynnie?" He once again glared at James.

Gwyn rolled her eyes but nodded anyway. "Send me a letter to tell me how works going, alright, Bri?" Bri shrugged non-commitially.

And just like that, she was boarding the train, James' arm around her waist again as they walked away from their families. His hand stayed there, perfectly resting in the curve of her hip as they searched for the compartment that held the rest of their group of friends.

It didn't take that long. For one thing, the train wasn't that big and for another, it was quite possibly the loudest compartment on the entire Hogwarts Express. The compartment held three people before the entered, each one trying to catch a toad that was happily jumping away from their grasping hands.

The first was the owner of the escaped toad, Lysander Scamander. Lysander was a sinewy Ravenclaw boy that held a lot of his mother's most eerie features; large almost bug-like pale blue eyes and eyebrows that were so faint they might as well not been on his face. His hair was curled and a light brown-blonde mix that seemed to be the perfect mixture of both his parents and as normal it was lazily pushed back with a bandana just his forehead and Gwyn immediately knew that she would not see Lysander cut his hair once that year. Similar things had happened three years ago when most people in their year couldn't tell if he was himself or his twin brother, Lorcan.

The second was Lonnie Watkins. A Muggle-Born that Gwyn befriended simply based on the fact that they were both Welsh, Lonnie was usually seen as the quietest in the group. His friends knew better of course and now was a perfect example of that as he jumped over Lysander from one seat to another shouting Welsh curse words loudly. His dark afro which was usually a halo around his head kept moving in front of his eyes, making his blow loud breaths to move the curls from his face. The scrunched up face he made as he shouted profanities only made the silver stud that protruded from his short, rounded nose seem more noticeable.

The last person in the compartment was low to the ground, screaming loudly as two pairs of feet stomped heavily around her. Laurel Greengrass-Parkinson had a round pug-face with an upturned nose that strongly resembled her mothers. Her eyes were narrow and dark brown in colour, her eyebrows sharp and short. Her features made her look meaner than she was especially when she pursed her thin lips into her usual resting expression. It made her entire face stoney, made her eyes seem to lose the warm glow that Gwyn often saw.

The shouting, screaming, and springing didn't stop even as Dominique opened the door. It didn't stop even as she entered with Gwyn and James in tow, the three of them standing close together by the door. It didn't stop even as James tugged Gwyn towards a seat by the window which seemed to be the only area that Lonnie wasn't jumping to. No, it only stopped when Dominique knelt down and held her hand out, letting the Johnathan the Toad run into her hand.

There was a long stunned silence until Laurel asked, "Where's Mani?"

"Stupid Prefect's meeting," Dominique grumbled as she put Johnathan the Toad into Lysander's lap. She flopped down next to the boy and almost immediately Johnathan tried jumping back into her lap.

"Probably for the better," Lonnie said as he gestured to the compartment around him. There were six seats in each compartment, three on each side. Until Mani became prefect they would all have to pile up on top of each other, every one of them too stubborn to suggest someone finding a different compartment. It was worse than too because Mitul would sit with them every time because wandering through the train looking for his friends made him uncomfortable.

They had all settled down without a word. Lysander sat next to the window opposite Gwyn and next to him was Dominique then Laurel. James was sitting against the window on the other side with Gwyn leaning her back against his side, his arm still wrapped around her and her feet over Lonnie's lap. None of them seemed to pay any mind to the way James was bordering on holding Gwyn against her will. If she wasn't so comfortable then she would have complained and she doubted that he would have let her go.

None of them even seemed to notice anything was different.

* * *

The journey went as it normally did. Dominique and James would catch the others up on what happened at the party the night before, not leaving out any details for the friends that couldn't attend. They talked about what everyone had been up to over the summer. They discussed the latest gossip. They pigged out on sweets from the trolley when it eventually came around. And this year they discussed the future.

"Mum doesn't think Quidditch is a good career option," Laurel grumbled when she was asked, pouting into her chocolate frog. She handed the card over to James who let out a pleasing noise when he saw Adalbert Waffling smiling back at him. "There are gonna be so many recruiters around this year."

"There was a lot for the Slytherin vs Hufflepuff game last year too," Lysander added and Laurel let out a grunt of agreement.

"I thought McGonagall said the Holyhead Harpies were already interested in you during Career Advice," Gwyn said. Laurel merely shrugged and bit rather savagely into the head of the chocolate frog she held. Shrugs and grunts were probably around sixty percent of the communication between Laurel and Gwyn; most of the time words just weren't needed.

James' arms tightened around Gwyn for a second, getting her attention so she turned her head. She couldn't see him, not at the angle she was leaning against him, but it was at least clear that she was paying attention to him.

"What about you, Gwyn-ville?" He asked. "You said last night that you had big news to share when we were sober."

Gwyn hummed happily. Truthfully if it wasn't for James she would have completely forgotten the events of yesterday afternoon. How could she almost forget the best news she had ever received?

"When we finish this year Bampi wants me to take over the shop," Gwyn said, grinning widely as she said the words.

A stunned silence settled over the compartment. Each of her friends - or at least the ones she could see - were staring at her with an open mouth that turned into wide smiles. Then almost as quickly as the silence settled they burst into excited cheers. Dominique had jumped up and darted over to her best friend for a hug, but before she could envelop her friend and threaten to never let her go James and managed to spin Gwyn from where she sat and he kissed her firmly. Though the second that his lips left Gwyn's and the girl let out a shaky breath, Dominique hugged her tightly enough that Gwyn seriously worried for her circulation until she was finally released.

Once the excited chattering quietened down, which took a while, they all demanded more information from their friend. "Mam says it all depends on my NEWT grades and Bampi said I have to successfully, y'know, _make_ wands, but yeah."

She was smiling so wide that her cheeks were physically hurting, but the support from her friends made it harder to stop. The only thing that could stop it was the feeling of James' thumb resting under her waistband once more. With a sharp inhale through gritted teeth she slipped away from James.

"I forgot _this_ was the other thing," Gwyn said slowly, gesturing between them. James' face contorted in confusion. "Bampi said that mam was bitching about the 'thing' with Kara and Daniel. I can't do that anymore so I can study more and pass my NEWTs."

The Kara and Daniel incident was something that as a group they decided not to discuss. Not because it was big and dramatic. Not because it left one of them hurt and scarred. Not because it should be kept a closely guarded secret between the friends. It was simply because Gwyn's parents made it out to be so much worse than it was.

When Gwyn was dating Kara Thomas her grades slipped slightly. When she dated Daniel Perri they also slipped slightly. Her parents made it seem like her grades had fallen from Oustanding to Troll. In reality, they never went lower than Acceptable in any subject, even Divination which Gwyn couldn't remember ever actually attending. Since then Gwyn's parents had been cautious with her dating, always telling her to focus on her studies instead of being lured away by any girl or boy that looked her way, which is how Gwyn's parents assumed her bisexuality worked. She hadn't dated since, not because of what her parents said to her but simply because she didn't want to. She was more content just making out with James when they were drunk and continuing to not focus on her studies much.

Of course, that had to change now. Gwyn had _way_ too much riding on the next year to continue to go throughout the school as carelessly as she did the past six years.

Gwyn ran her hands over her thighs awkwardly, enjoying the rough texture of her tights. "Not that I don't want to keep doing... whatever we have been doing, but I have a lot riding on this year."

"But we're not in a relationship like you were with Kara and Daniel," He said matter-of-factly. "Surely it wouldn't take up much of your time."

Gwyn was suddenly very aware of the fact that they were not alone. The two had never been afraid to talk about whatever they had going on between them in front of their friends, but this seemed different. It felt almost cruel to talk so freely about this in front of her friends, who seemed to be trying their hardest not to look at the two as they spoke and instead stared at each other with wide eyes, while James listened so earnestly to her words.

"No, you'll just distract me all the time with your shitty dares and shots of firewhisky and you're gorgeous face and seductive lips," Gwyn said casually, trying to push away the awkward feeling. James seemed to accept this answer easily; he merely winked at the girl before him and continued to ask questions about what Ollivander had said to her.

It suddenly felt odd not to have his arms around her, Gwyn noted as she explained once again why her grandfather said there would be an official Ministry of Magic party to celebrate the transition of Ollivanders into her power. It made her want to move her hands more, running them over her legs or digging her nails into her arms. Every now and then James would reach out to move her hands from somewhere they were leaving red marks along her skin. Almost as soon as Gwyn gave a tense smile of thanks he could quickly move his hands back.

Gwyn felt uneasy. She couldn't help look over at James's hands, her brain constantly searching for a reason why they weren't around her before she realised it was because she told him not to. It was odd, like he was so close and get out of range, unreachable despite being not even an arm stretch away. She was still so excited to tell her friends about taking over Ollivanders but her stomach shifted uneasily, her nails digging into her knees now.

It was a habit of hers; her hands were rarely still. It wasn't quite a nervous habit and not quiet _not_ one either. Her hands were always moving, awaiting something to connect with or move again and it was only made worse when she was nervous. That's why James had started to keep his arms around her in the first place, to ensure that she had some contact for her hands. They would tug at the seams of his jeans or knot themselves in his t-shirt without the rest of her becoming uncomfortable at all the physical contact.

"Wyn." James said, his tone warning. He reached out once again and moved Gwyn's nails from her knees, resting them instead by the hem of her skirt. Immediately her hands knotted in the soft skirt material and she watched as James' hand moved away from hers, running through his messy hair instead.

If not having his arms around her was making her feel this anxious then it was going to be a _long_ year.

* * *

The sorting ceremony seemed shorter than usual. It was, as it was every year, a relatively boring affair when you weren't the one being sorted. Gwyn was happy to see some familiar faces get sorted though, those that she had served at Ollivanders including Harley Joab who joined her in Ravenclaw.

It was only really during the sorting ceremony where people sat at their house tables in the Great Hall, so Gwyn sat beside Lonnie with the rest of his dormitory mates. There was Darren Morgan who was as loud as excited as ever, Justin Gollis who carefully watched the ceremony to see his younger twin siblings get sorted into Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, and another two guys that Gwyn didn't really know. Their names were Ben and Deryk, but she didn't know which was which and she didn't really care enough to find out. Sitting with Lonnie's dorm mates was better than sitting with her own. Normally when the sorting was over to join her other friends, but she sat contently with her fellow Ravenclaw's as Darren excitedly recounted his summer experiences of starting a prank war with a bunch of muggles teens back home.

The feast was as grand as ever and by the time it was over Gwyn was too full to even go over to say goodnight to her friends. She watched though as James, Dominique and Manali went off to the Gryffindor tower, talking loudly as they pushed past awkward crowds of first years. Lysander had come over to say that he'd meet Lonnie outside the Ravenclaw common room the next morning before he went to sit with his twin brother at the Hufflepuff table. Laurel bounded over to the Ravenclaw table almost as soon as the sorting ceremony was over, not overly excited about having to join what she called her 'hormone-filled fuck-rag dorm mates'. Unfortunately, as the only Slytherin in the group she had to quickly break off and go down to the dungeons when Gwyn had eventually decided she could move.

When there were only two Gwyn and Lonnie began the tiring journey up to the Ravenclaw common room.

"I'm not being funny, I was fuming," Lonnie said dramatically as the two had been forced to stop alongside a group of first years on a moving staircase. A few of the kids snuck looks at Lonnie, clearly confused by the angry tone of the Welshman before them. "The thing is, right, he'd already had me working, like, almost ten hours more than Alice that week and she still got the entire week off so she could go get hammered and shag her boyfriend in Ibiza. I ask for a weekend off to go to a bloody concert and get pissed and he tells me no."

"What's Ibiza?" Gwyn asked carefully. Lonnie had a habit of getting dramatic when Gwyn didn't understand a muggle thing that he deemed to be too important for anyone to not know.

"A holiday place where people go to get pissed and shit." Lonnie shrugged. Gwyn let out a short 'ahh' and let her friend continue to complain about his boss. Over the summer Lonnie worked at a pub in Cardiff that hired young people over the counter and every year since he first started working there Lonnie would spend the entire walk up the six floors to get to the Ravenclaw common room complaining about anything and everything he could. And Lonnie was _great_ at finding things to complain about.

"And, like, it's pretty obvious that she was lying about liking Gideon because they act just like you and Pots do." Gwyn let out a disapproving grunt at the mention of her and James, who Lonnie lovingly referred to as 'Pots' since the two had become friends in their second year. "Do you reckon you're actually gonna be able to actually not be with James all year?"

They had stopped outside the Ravenclaw common room now. One of the Ravenclaw prefects was explaining how the entrance to their common room was unique, the only one that tested them by asking riddles every time they had to enter. Gwyn had to bite her tongue and not reveal to the first years that by their fifth year the door would probably just let them in, sensing their frustrations from studying for their OWLs and NEWTs.

"I'm going to have to." Gwyn crossed her arms over her chest. "I have a lot riding on this, Watty. I can't have James distracting me otherwise I'm really not going to get anything done."

"You're not denying that you like him."

"Funny that."

The Ravenclaw common room was a wide, circular room that had large arched windows that allowed the most beautiful views of the castle grounds; the lake, Forbidden Forest, Quidditch pitch, Herbology gardens, and the vast surrounding mountains. Gwyn had been in both the each of the other common rooms and she would smugly tell her friends that Ravenclaw without a doubt had the best view in the entire school, maybe with the exception of the Astronomy tower. Each window was lined by silky blue and bronze curtains that fell down to the starry blue carpet. There were tables and chairs all around the room, most of them beside bookcases so large they almost reached the top of the domed ceiling. Standing tall near the door that led up to the dormitories was a white marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw, staring down the entire common room and backed up by the largest bookshelf in the entire room; the single curved bookshelf easily held more than a thousand books.

Gwyn and Lonnie immediately went to their favourite armchairs (next to a bookshelf on wandlore and next to the unofficial wizard's chess table) and flopped down, ignoring the glare of the prefect escorting the first years to their dorm.

"Come on, guys." Jordan Wood said loudly, too loudly to be doing anything than making a point. Lonnie made a point of rolling his eyes before he turned to Wood.

"Aw, fuck off, Wood. We just can't be arsed to go to bed yet."

"Try and set a good example for the first years." Jordan sounded exasperated, more so after Gwyn let out a nasal bark of laughter. "Why is that so funny about that, Gwyn?"

"You've known us six years now." Gwyn chuckled. "When have we ever set a good example?" With a sigh Jordan took a seat next to Lonnie, muttering something about the first time for everything. "We all know that I'm gonna be out of the common room soon anyway."

It wasn't a secret to anyone in Ravenclaw that Gwyn didn't spend most nights there. It was hard for her to hide it when she had to walk her way through the dormitories and the common room before she could leave. She wasn't particularly quiet either. However, there was a sort of mutual agreement between everyone in the Ravenclaw house that they just wouldn't mention it. If someone reported Gwyn every time she snuck out at night Ravenclaw would be the last place for the House Cup every year, and no one wanted to sacrifice that; Ravenclaw hadn't won the cup in five years and they were all itching for a win.

"You're seriously going to sneak off every night in your _last_ year?" Gwyn hummed contently. "Fine, whatever. Have fun doing James Potter every night or whatever it is that you do when you sneak off. Just don't get Ravenclaw in trouble." And with that Jordan Wood got to his feet and said his goodnight, walking up to the dormitories quickly.

"Is that what everyone thinks?" Gwyn asked carefully as she watched Jordon's retreating figure. When she turned back to Lonnie he just shrugged, leaning back into his armchair and stretching his arms behind him.

When the Ravenclaw common room was quiet Gwyn could hear the gentle sound of wind whistling against the windows, not a harsh sound despite how high up the common room was. It was a soft and comforting and Gwyn knew that many of her fellow Ravenclaws had had serious discussions about whether or not it was an enchantment on the windows or on the common room; even when there was little wind outside the sound could still be heard and when there were storms the sound was slight. It was one of the things Gwyn loved most about the Ravenclaw common room, not that there were that many things that she actually liked about being there. It was _almost_ soothing.

* * *

An hour later and Lonnie was falling asleep in his seat and Gwyn was getting restless. He was talking slower, yawning more, and yet refusing to go to bed despite the fact that Gwyn had told him to more times than she could count.

He didn't want to leave her, he said. Gwyn rolled her eyes at her friends and told him, for probably the millionth time since they had met, that she was used to it. She had had the same problem for as long as she could remember and having someone get grumpily tired wasn't really going to help the situation.

"S'fine." Lonnie promised with his eyes fluttering sleepily.

"Go to bed, Watty," Gwyn said once again. Lonnie just shook his head.

"How do you-" _Yawn._ "even get through the castle without-" _Another yawn._ "Being seen?"

"I basically put a version of the homonculous charm I found in an advanced charms book on some of the doors and then cover them with a simple concealment charm so only I know they are there," Gwyn answered happily. "Not that hard really but effective. I can see where people are on the floor I'm looking at to see what way to get out without being seen." She was proud of herself for her careful solution to her not having an invisibility cloak as James did. During her second year, she had detention more times than she could count while James got away with almost everything because of his father's cloak. By her third year, she was confident enough in her charms ability to ask Flitwick for extra work, and by Christmas time Flitwick had let her go into the Restricted section with him for a bit of extra work. After that, it was fairly easy to do some simple trial and error to get the charms up and running on the doors. The walls were her first try, the ease of surface space would have saved her having to do at least four of the charms on various doors but something about the walls of Hogwarts wasn't too happy having a charm on it; Gwyn had almost lost an eyebrow. The doors seemed to be free game. A homonculous and concealment charm on doors near areas where she used to get caught by Filch or prefects and she had an almost perfect security system to avoid anyone within the castle.

As Gwyn explained to her friend about her own self-proclaimed acts of genius he was slumped even further into the armchair if that were even possible. With an eye roll, Gwyn leaned forward and kicked Lonnie's leg. A second later and he darted upright, eyes wide and confused as he looked around the entire room quickly. Gwyn snorted loudly at the display before she, once again, told him to go to bed.

This time he nodded and rose to his feet, muttering a "Night, Wynnie" under his breath. Gwyn watched as he walked up to the dormitory.

"Night, Watty." She called after him.

When Gwyn finally left the Ravenclaw common room she was quiet as she moved through the castle, careful to avoid staircases that creaked or corridors where pesky ghosts (or poltergeists that would _definitely_ wake the entire castle) liked to hang around. She didn't even use her wand to light her way. She'd made that mistake too many times and detention on her first day wasn't worth it.

She was sure she had spent more nights like that - creeping around the castle grounds until she got to her usual stopping place - than she spent in her own bed in the Ravenclaw dormitories. It was why McGonagall was more reluctant to give Gwyn detention for wandering the castle late at night; her parents had explained that Gwyn didn't sleep well. Wandering just helped. However, Gwyn didn't doubt that McGonagall would give her detention on her first day for sneaking out.

The grounds were her favourite parts of the entire castle. When she was younger it used to freak her out. The noises from the Forbbiden Forest were terrifying enough on their own, but paired with the splashing of the Giant Squid and the occasional _bang_ of the Whomping Willow as it tried to fight birds off its branches just made it worse. But over the years she had gotten used to it and for the most part, the noises were now familiar and welcoming.

Her second favourite place (closely followed by the kitchens) was the boathouse.

Gwyn was in her second year when she realised perfect a spot it was for her nightly adventures. Only used once a year to get the first years from the train to the castle it was usually empty and because not many students ever thought about going down there prefects and teachers didn't check it on their routes. It was perfect. Gwyn and her friends had enough resources hidden away in the boat house to last them through the entire year; clothes, blankets, more junk food than Gwyn could name, and, of course, some butterbeer and firewhisky for when it was needed. It was all hidden and kept fresh and clean by charms. That's why Gwyn wasn't surprised when she saw someone else in the boathouse when she walked through the dark underground tunnel.

"Lonnie will kill you for snacking on his chocolate, you know." James Potter jumped at the sound of Gwyn's voice, quickly dropping the chocolate as his head darted around so quickly that Gwyn was half-afraid that he would hurt himself. He didn't and a second late a wide grin broke out on to his face.

He was already wearing his pyjamas, his clothes dumped on the floor beside him. His hair was even messier than usual if that were possible, and his trusty Cloak of Invisibility was draped over his legs. A few years ago the sight of James' floating torso would have probably freaked her out, now it was an almost comforting sight.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked, looking awfully happy when Gwyn shook her head. "Come on then, pyjama party time."

Gwyn took off her clothes and placed it carefully in their hiding spot between the floorboards along with her shoes. From under the floorboard next to it she pulled out her pyjamas - her usual mismatch of comfortable clothes and actual pyjamas; today it was an old Muggle band t-shirt that her aunt had given to her father twenty years or so ago and a pair of short that had the Spiderman logo over them - and quickly got changed. Despite the biting cold of September in Scotland Gwyn had chosen to wear shorts as her pyjamas for no reason other than they were on top of her trunk before she left last year and were easiest to charm clean. For some reason when she tried to charm jeans clean they ended up purple instead, so Gwyn stuck to only charming clothes she knew wouldn't turn purple or catch fire clean.

As soon as she had walked into the Great Hall that evening Gwyn knew that she wouldn't be spending the night in her dormitory; she could already feel her inability to sleep wearing down on her despite how tired she was. So the idea of going back up to her dorm room and getting different, more weather appropriate pyjamas made a nervous shiver spread throughout her entire body. So Gwyn decided to deal with shorts despite the fact that throughout her entire walk down to the boathouse she could already feel goosebumps rising on her skin, trying to form a layer of warmth unsuccessfully against the cold air.

Once Gwyn had unclasped her bra and pulled it through the sleeve of her t-shirt in the way that always confused James, she settled beside him. James pulled the cloak over her legs without a second thought.

"I didn't think you'd keep coming down here," James admitted after a long silence. Gwyn turned to him confused. He didn't look at her as he spoke, his gaze fixed on the chocolate in his hand instead. If Gwyn didn't know him so well she'd guess that he was uncomfortable in her company.

"Thought I'd suddenly gotten over the fact that I apparently _don't sleep_ either?" Gwyn asked, breaking off a bit of chocolate as James shook his head.

"I just figured you'd stay in the dormitories or the common room because of your new rule."

"Ah."

Silence once again settled between them, though this one was tenser than the last. Gwyn watched James carefully as she ran her hands over the soft material of the Invisibility Cloak. He still didn't look at her.

After a few more minutes of continued silence, only the eerie sounds from the Forbidden Forest and the soft movement of water against the stone of the walls around then providing any sound, Gwyn pulled out her wand and gave it a quick wand, muttering the appropriate spell under her breath. Around them sheets and blankets that had been expertly _borrowed_ from the Hufflepuff dormitories by Lysander and Lorcan rose from underneath the floorboards, weaving around them until they formed a tent around them. They hung from nothing and perfectly landed around then so that they would have enough room to set up a nice sleeping area for two people. Gwyn tapped the floor with her wand and two fluffy pillows also moved from below them, rising until they fell in James' lap.

He took the hint and quickly moved the pillows to the top of their makeshift fort before he cast a simple cushioning charm beneath them. The hard and cold wooden floor almost instantly turned into a soft mattress like a bed for the two of them.

Gwyn laid back on her usual pillow, the left one, and let her arms flail back. Behind her was the entrance of the boathouse from the outside of the castle, the way that the first years entered the grounds on their first day at Hogwarts. It was lined by thick ivy and Gwyn could remember the way it parted when she was in one of those boats, moving aside on its own accord to allow entrance to the next stage of her life.

With the cushioning charm on the floor, Gwyn was without a doubt more comfortable than she ever was in the Ravenclaw dormitories, even more so when James laid beside her and took his hand in hers.

For a long moment, he just stared at her, his hazel eyes wandering over her face which was illuminated by small flames in jars. Gwyn could tell he wanted to talk; he kept pressing his lips together. They only time he would do that was when he tried to stop himself from laughing or when he wanted to talk, but didn't quite know what to say.

"I think..." He said after a few more seconds of his eyes wandering. "I think I'm going to find not flirting with you very hard and I only realised that when you left."

"I know." Gwyn chuckled softly. James' grip tightened slightly around her hand. "I just _need_ this year to go well and you... Well, you're very distracting, James Potter."

"I know." James smiled slightly. It wasn't his usual smile though, all toothy and dorky. It was smaller, not as playful. If Gwyn didn't know James better she'd think that he was tired, but James' sleep pattern was almost as messed up as hers so she knew it wasn't that. He just sort of looked... sad.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

_ THEN _

Gwyn thought that she had prepared herself for the amount of work she would be getting in the first few weeks back at school, but she quickly learned that her preparedness was nothing more than a hopeful dream. She was sure that within a fortnight the seventh years had received more homework than the past two years combined and the number of notes they had to take in lessons made more than two dozen students go see Madam Abbott in the Hospital Wing with wrist pains.

She was completing work during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every scrap of free time she had, and the countless hours of sleep that she wouldn't have gotten anyway. In addition to the minimum of an hour of wandlore study a day she had set herself, Gwyn felt like she was never going to escape the mountain of work on top of her.

The only good thing about the work was that it made it easier to ignore how oddly... _empty_ she felt without James' arms around her any moment he could. Instead of worrying about how the absence made her stomach tight and sent shivers down her spine, she could worry about how she was ever going to pass NEWT level Charms _and_ Transfiguration while studying wandlore until her eyes bled.

On the bright side, she wasn't suffering alone.

"Are you sure it's not too late to give up on Transfig?" Laurel asked, laying over her essay on the practical uses of the _Draconifors_ spell that was due in the next lesson. Gwyn had told her to get the essay done the night before, but Laurel had refused, citing a need to sleep instead from one of her common, disgruntled phrases. The workload was building up painfully on her; she was never one to balance sleep and work and now she was Slytherin Quidditch Captain on top of everything. Gwyn was surprised that Laurel was still managing to get more sleep than her.

Gwyn nodded. "Sorry, babe," Laurel grunted in response, looking up at Gwyn from where her head rested against the desk. Gwyn shrugged and their conversation was over. Laurel sat up and begrudgingly started to write more to her now slightly smudged essay.

Having completed her essay two days before and having no homework due until Monday morning, Gwyn let herself spent her free period making her parents proud and studying more information on wand woods and how they can impact the core. Even someone who was as dedicated to wandlore as Gwyn would admit that her grandfather's study material was some of the most boring text she had read.

What confused her most about her grandfather was how he never strayed from what he knew worked. Through his years of expert research, he found the woods that worked and the cores that worked with them - dragon heartstring, unicorn tail hair, and phoenix feather - but he never tried to make anything else. When she asked he would always explain that he made his point, his father, Gervaise, that he could make wands that were better quality than he made with Kelpie hair and Knezeal whiskers. Why would he need to tamper with perfection when his wands were as close to it as any wandmaker had ever gotten?

"Maybe you'll make the next Elder Wand," Laurel said. Her voice seemed too sudden, making Gwyn jump slightly and drop the page she was holding.

"Not likely." Gwyn retorted after a moment. "I wouldn't want to be responsible for a wand with that much bloodshed in its path."

"Wands only as good as the person holding though, right?" Laurel asked and she didn't say anything else more when Gwyn shook her head. It was an understanding in their group of friends that other than Gwyn no one really understood wandlore or how it worked, so Gwyn would try to keep her technicalities and wonderments to a minimum. It was hard on her at first; all Gwyn wanted to do after she worked in her grandfather's shop for the first time was tell everyone everything she had learned about wands, but they didn't want to hear it. She eventually got used to keeping her mouth shut about it.

"Reckon I could make wands better than my Bampi?" Gwyn asked. Laurel's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Like, experiment with wand cores more and shit. Bampi found cores that worked for him and stuck to it, but maybe if I could find _better_ cores then wands could work for everyone with even small amounts of wizarding ancestry."

"Can't see why not." Gwyn smiled, satisfied with the answer.

* * *

September faded quickly away with the sheer amount of work that students had to do and before they could even think about it Hallowe'en was approaching. A steady buzz has taken over the castle, the first years eager to participate in their first Hallowe'en at the school of magic and the students who had experienced everything Hogwarts had to offer ready for the feast once more. Gwyn was joining in with the buzz this year; she couldn't help the giddiness that ran through her body when she thought about Hallowe'en.

Hallowe'en was Gwyn's favourite holiday, especially at Hogwarts. The magic and mystery just made it better than any other holiday combined, to her. And this year it was even better; it was during a Hogsmeade weekend.

"We should do something _big._ " Freddie Weasley said as he browsed the shelves at Zonko's Joke Shop. Beside him stood Anya Poliakoff, Freddie's girlfriend of almost two years, James and Lysander.

There weren't many people in Zonko's. Since Weasley Wizard Wheezes had expanded its a company with a store located in Hogsmeade most of the Hogwarts students decided to go there for their pranking needs; after all, it was owned by a professional in the pranking industry. That was exactly the reason why Freddie and James refused to shop there. It didn't take long into their first year until McGonagall had blamed the Weasley's or Potter's for the use of Weasley Wizard Wheezes product on castle grounds.

Zonko's was a classic, Freddie would argue. Good pranksters can work with the classics and still go down infamous in Hogwarts history. They didn't need to go to his father's store when they had the classics and two of the most gifted charms students in the entirety of Hogwarts by their side. James would quickly agree and somehow the entire group was pulled into their hijinks, each playing their own essential role. In the end, they didn't often use Zonko's classics.

"Nothing with too much planning," Lonnie pointed out, holding a rather feisty bouquet of fanged geraniums at arm's length. "Hallowe'en is too soon for that."

"And we have a lot of studying to do," Anya added, her accent thicker than usual after not having spoken for most of the journey to Hogsmeade. She had decided to use that time doing some research for her Potions homework, much to her boyfriend's displeasure.

Freddie let out a loud, unhappy groan.

"We'll think of something, mate." James patted his cousin on the shoulder firmly. It didn't take long for Freddie to peel off whatever joke item his cousin had placed in his back and put it back on the shelf.

The group continued like that for a while, looking around the joke shop and discussing different Hallowe'en-time pranks that they could pull until they ended up where every Hogwarts student finished a trip to Hogsmeade; The Three Broomsticks. As a large group, they took up the largest booth they could find with additional chairs stolen from empty tables filling up the very free gap. So in the end there were ten of them; Gwyn, James, Dominique, Manali, Lonnie, Laurel, Lysander, Lorcan, Freddie, and Anya.

They were the loudest group in the pub, something that only became more and more apparent to the other pub patrons as the amounts of pint glasses around the group increased. Not that they cared; each of them just continued to share loud Hallowe'en plans.

"What do our resident NEWT Charms students have to offer then?" Lysander asked, pointing between Gwyn and Laurel with a pint of butterbeer. It wasn't uncommon for pranks in planning to be put into the hands of the two of them. As the only two people in their friendship group to take Charms and/or Transfiguration past OWL level (with the exception of Lorcan's girlfriend, Ellie Gardener, who flat out refused to have any part in their pranks) Gwyn and Laurel were often adjusting the group's plans, recommending new charms they learned and often executing said plan alone when others in the group couldn't figure out the charms.

The two looked at each other for a long moment before they spoke.

" _Gemino_ curse on every bowl of sweets?" Gwyn suggested at the same time Laurel said, "Charm the professors to speak different languages."

The table was full of laughter as demands for both of them at once were called out. Gwyn couldn't help but laugh along with them because as stupid as both the ideas seemed she knew it was going to be a funny sight. Sweets covering every inch of the Great Hall while the professors tried to calm everyone down, only to be shouting in different languages that no one understood. No one would disagree that it was definitely a good start at the perfect Hallowe'en prank.

Once plans for what they were calling the 'Hallowe'en Trio of Mayhem' had been solidified the large group all went back to the castle, swaying contently with warm bodies full of butterbeer. They were just as rowdy as they walked alongside other dawdling students as they were in the Three Broomsticks. They laughed obnoxiously and sung so loud that their lungs hurt and there were dogs howling along, but whenever someone would look at them weirdly, clearly not caring for the ill-disciplined groups, they would just get louder, undoubtedly annoying everyone within a mile radius. Even when they got back to the castle and Gwyn walked back down to the Boathouse she could still hear Dominique and Lysander screeching out lyrics to a Weird Sister's song.

James walked beside Gwyn, humming the same song his cousin and friend were singing under his breath. With the buzz in her system it was harder to remind herself why she shouldn't reach out and touch James; why she shouldn't press her lips to his like they always did when she drunk. He was doing well at keeping a distance from Gwyn, even when tipsy. The only times that he hadn't managed to keep his hands to himself was when they slept.

 _Cuddling is platonic so its allowed._ He would say whenever Gwyn explained how hard it was to get up and spend her free periods in the morning studying when she could spend it in his arms, warm and cozy against the icy air of the Scottish countryside.

Since the start of term Gwyn had slept in her bed in the Ravenclaw common room four times; once when she stayed up late with Lonnie to study for a practical Charms test on the bird-conjuring charm. Twice she stayed in the dormitories simply because she had cramps and didn't want to walk down to the Boathouse and the final time she actually managed to sleep before four in the morning. Thankfully the countless nights that Gwyn and James (and sometimes Dom when she wasn't sleeping in Mani's bed) spent together didn't end up being as awkward as Gwyn might have thought. They were just a lot colder than Gwyn was happy with despite the jars of flames that often surrounded their small bed area.

It was just like every other night, except James' hands would stay in his lap instead of on her leg or around her waist. When they would sleep they would be on either side of the bed, but always end up in each other's arms nonetheless. They were tipsy despite how Gwyn had said that she was going to spend the next morning studying, both of them watching their breaths turn to mist in the coldness of two in the morning around them.

"'S cold." Gwyn breathed out loudly and a second later James had turned around and pulled out his hoodie from their storage area. "Thanks, babe."

"That's my bomber jacket, my hoodie, a million t-shirts..." James pretended to count on his fingers as Gwyn pulled the familiar purple fabric over her head. "I should start to charge you for every article of clothing you steal from me."

"Oh, you're gonna start that?"

"Mmhm."

"Well then, I'm gonna charge you for every time I wake to you holding my arse." James opened his mouth, only to close it a second later. At first, it was something they would be embarrassed about when morning came. James' hands would often just find her rear end while they slept, cupping it until they both woke up and James would jump a meter away with his face as red as a Red Cap. They have since gotten used to it; they slept in the same bed too many times for it to become a problem and the development in their mid-teens to drunken make-out sessions made it easier to accept the small, once embarrassing situations like sleep-induced groping. The only time now when it would mortify both of them was when Gwyn stayed at the Potter's and James' parents would walk in to see their unconscious shenanigans.

When James had stopped tripping over his tongue, he pointed at Gwyn and said, "Then I'll charge you for every time those new piercings of yours scratch against me." His pointing finger wiggled in reference to Gwyn's hoodie-clad chest. Instinctively Gwyn covered the offending area, narrowing her eyes at the boy in front of her.

James was smirking like the cat that got the cream. His finger still hovered between them as if reminding Gwyn of the secret he knew. Not that it was really a secret; Gwyn had told almost everyone else and even shown Dom, Mani, and Lysander her first and only piercings. She just didn't tell James because there was no casual way to bring up her nipples to the boy she wasn't even letting do so much as hold her hand because she found him too distracting.

"It's no big deal." Gwyn forced herself to shrug, still gripping her breasts. "A muggle friend back home was complaining that he couldn't ever see me for my birthday because I'm always at school so his cousin gave me the piercings as an early birthday present."

James snorted. "Kinky."

"How did you even know?" Gwyn asked, choosing to ignore his comment. "Did Dom tell you?" It sounded like something Dom would do. Since the train journey to Hogwarts, she had made it very clear that she didn't think that Gwyn and James acting so differently from the way they usually did was a good idea. So, the idea that she would tell her cousin about Gwyn's new piercings seemed like something she would do.

"Nah, you just wear very thin t-shirts considering the weather."

"Most of the t-shirts I wear to bed are yours."

James just shrugged carelessly. "Was it uncomfortable getting it done? Showing your tits to a stranger?"

Gwyn thought carefully. She had gotten the small bars over a month and a half ago by that point so she didn't think about them that much. When she first had gotten them done they were sore from rubbing against her bra and t-shirts, but that didn't stop her from showing almost all her friends without a second thought. Her breasts were never something she was ashamed of, so showing them off was never much of a big deal for her.

"Not really," Gwyn admitted. "It's just a nipple. I'd show you the piercing if I wasn't afraid you'd pass out."

James laughed but didn't say anything else. He just leaned back slightly, his arms holding his weight up from behind him. They sat side by side on the edge of the boathouse floor, their feet skimming the water below them, neither of them quite tall enough for their feet to be fully submerged. The sole of James' feet could touch the water while Gwyn had to point her toes in order to submerge them into the icy water. It was cold and there was no doubt in Gwyn's head that she wouldn't be able to feel her toes later, but it was also soothing. The warmth the butterbeer left in her body mixed with the coldness that was invading her slowly was almost comfortable.

She always felt that way when it came to this time at night; comfortable. Even when she was so tired her body felt like it was physically shutting down and yet she still couldn't sleep and it was so cold that she felt like she would be frozen to the floor by the next morning. Even when all she wanted to do was reach out and put James' hands around her and she knew she couldn't. She never felt more at peace than when she was surrounded by the familiarity of her own little dormitory. Especially when she was with James Potter.

* * *

Gwyn woke up on Hallowe'en morning by a very familiar noise. Laughter and chattering very reminiscent of the night before. Even without opening her eyes, she knew who was there, and for that exact reason, she kept her eyes closed. It was too early to for her to talk to her friends without allowing herself even a little bit of time to wake up properly.

As she moved to snuggle deeper into the pillow she heard the chatting pause, only to continue a second later when they decided that Gwyn was still dead to the world. She heard the self-proclaimed 'Mum' of the group, Gryffindor's one, and only Manali Patil, tell the others to be quiet and she knew without opening her eyes that Lonnie was rolling his eyes and checking his watch. He was always complaining to Gwyn that she woke too late, and Gwyn judged by who was in the Boathouse that it was probably already ten or eleven o'clock. Not late to Gwyn, but definitely late to Lonnie who pretty much rose with the sun. The talking was quieter after Mani said for the others to be, but Gwyn could still hear them hatching out plans for that evening, ensuring that everything was in order despite having gone over the plans the night before no less than three times. When it came to the Hallowe'en prank Freddie and James had to make sure that everything was completely perfect, even if their constant planning made Gwyn want to shove her wand in her ears to get them to shut up.

"Does Gwyn even want to be part of it this year?" James asked quietly. He was still sitting next to Gwyn; she could feel him bobbing his knee with his legs crossed beside her. "She's trying to not get detention, right?"

"She planned it with us so I think she'll be fine." Mani was the only one who offered an answer. Gwyn could feel them watching her and even if their gazes weren't burrowing into her she knew her face would have grown warm anyway. She didn't even think about how the prank could land her in detention for the rest of the year. She just couldn't help but be dragged into the planning when the rest of her friends were asking for her advice, especially after there was butterbeer entered her system and even better ideas flooded her brain.

The conversation changed after that, everyone discussing the first Gryffindor Quidditch game that was quickly approaching. James, as the Gryffindor captain again this year, was updating the others on how training his newest players was going. James didn't usually share information on how training going (there were too many enemy house members in their friendship group for that kind of information to be shared, he would always joke), but he would humour Dom, Lonnie, and Mani with short answers. He told them how Ned Davies was training their new beater - a third year that tried out for the team the year before named Aaron Mold - in his spare time, drastically reducing the amount of time James spent staring at the Boathouse ceiling and worrying about plans in his head when Gwyn decided to stir. She rolled onto her back and made a show of rubbing her eyes and yawning.

Silence fell over the group until Gwyn sat up in her makeshift bed and stretched, letting her bones crack pleasantly. Then a chorus of the morning - or midday as Lonnie reminded her - greetings passed over everyone.

"Starting Hallowe'en without me?" Gwyn yawned, pointing at the pile of sweets that sat in the middle of the circle of her friends.

"If we waited for you to wake up Hallowe'en would be over before we could celebrate," Lonnie said pointedly. Gwyn simply shrugged and muttered under her breath about it being earlier than noon. Her comment was met with chuckles, but the happy conversation that met her ears while she was asleep was certainly dead now.

Gwyn let herself look over the group before her. Dominique sat close to her girlfriend, who was holding her knee with a Potions textbook open on her lap. Lonnie and Lysander sat on either side of the couple with Laurel leaning back with her head on Lysander's chest, her body between her legs. James sat on their charmed 'mattress' of sorts, still beside Gwyn with their legs wound together even after walking up.

They continued like that, chatting quietly about nothing in particular. They just ate sweets as they enjoyed each other's company without the stress of schoolwork or homework bearing down on them for what felt like the first time since the year had begun.

* * *

When the Hallowe'en feast grew nearer they finally move from the boathouse, agreeing to meet up before the feast so that they could begin the preparations for their prank. Gwyn and Lonnie began the trek up to the Ravenclaw common room so Gwyn could put on clean clothes while the others went to the Great Hall to prepare.

When they finally headed down towards the Great Hall - Gwyn now clad in the jumper that Molly Weasley knitted for James two years ago (the golden 'J' on the front bold and proud) and a pair of leggings - there were a few dozen eager students already sitting at their tables, talking quietly with each other while they waited for the tables to fill with the much-anticipated food.

The Great Hall was decorated like it was every year; pumpkins larger than Porlocks were surrounded by familiar dripping candles near the professor's table while smaller and hallowed pumpkins and black cauldrons sat on the tables, waiting to be filled with sweets and lollipops. Orange and black streamers surrounded the entire room, held up by nothing and swaying as if pushed by a gentle autumn breeze. Gwyn knew that within the hour live bats would descend like a cloud from the cloudy ceiling and golden crockery would appear on the tables, starting the feast.

If Gwyn was excited for the feast before, now she was almost _vibrating_ with anticipation. Especially at the thought of how much their prank was going to add to the Hallowe'en experience…

The two Ravenclaws went to their respective table, ignoring the other familiar faces in the hall to complete their task, and sat near Jordan Wood and his Slytherin girlfriend whose name always escaped Gwyn's mind. The perfect gave the two of them a warning look when he saw them, but didn't say anything as they sat down.

"Potions is killing me," Lonnie groaned loudly as he took his textbook out of his bag. Gwyn made a noise of agreement, taking out her own Defense Against the Dark Arts book. The two of them began slowly reading, not actually taking in any of the information but making a scene of looking over their notes.

Wood tapped the table between them. "You're not actually revising are you?"

"We've been revising for a few hours at this point," Gwyn complained, making a show of stretching and yawning as the other Ravenclaw watched her carefully.

"It's a stressful time," Lonnie nodded. The Slytherin girl narrowed her eyes at Jordan.

"Aren't these the two you always complain about?" Wood's girlfriend asked, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked at the two Ravenclaws beside her. "Said they never revised and always caused trouble." Jordon nodded with a feeble smile.

"Love you too, Wood." Lonnie muttered under his breath.

It only took almost fifteen minutes of 'studying' before Gwyn leaned back and slammed her textbook shut, making the two other Ravenclaws and the Slytherin look over at her. This was part of their plan. Gwyn and Lonnie knew that if Jordon would be so surprised to see them revise for even a minute that he would vouch for them if any teachers began to question the pair on their involvement in what was to come. So when Gwyn looked towards her friend and suggested that they take a well-deserved break to gather up their friends for the feast Wood happily agreed to save their seats. Gwyn put her bag where she had been sitting, using the movement to hide herself pulling her wand from the loop Molly Weasley had sewn into her leggings as a makeshift wand holder and put it up her sleeve.

To the untrained eye, it must have looked like Gwyn was playing air drums against her legs or twitching near every pumpkin or cauldron they passed, which wasn't necessarily an abnormal tic for her. Nobody seemed to notice, the people that sat at the tables preoccupied with talking amongst themselves and the people that filed in to enamored with the changes the Great Hall had undergone since that morning. The only people that seemed to notice were their friends; James, Dominique and Manali gave them small knowing smiles as they watched their friend stand up from where they sat at the Gryffindor table, otherwise ignoring the two Ravenclaws that walked towards the Slytherin table.

Laurel looked in pain as Gwyn and Lonnie walked over to her. In front of her Transfiguration notes and her latest game plan for Slytherin's upcoming game against Gryffindor, each parchment and book taking over what seemed like a metered space around her. Close to her some third or fourth year Slytherin's sent her pitying looks, clearly not envying the amount of work she was doing.

"Going good there, babe." Gwyn whistled, sliding beside Laurel who immediately pressed her head against Gwyn's shoulder. "Come on. Lonnie and I are collecting people to enjoy our last Hallowe'en with at the Ravenclaw table."

"Count me the _fuck_ in." Laurel all but growled, shoving the papers before her into her bag and raising to her feet quicker than Gwyn could comprehend. "I deserve a break. What do you guys think?" She had turned to the third or fourth year Slytherin's. Every one of the small group nodded quickly, looking a little timid to have the Slytherin Quidditch Captain (who was renowned for having a sharp personality) was actually talking to them.

Their plan was carefully thought out. Laurel and Lonnie talked amongst themselves, allowing Gwyn to make quick work at putting the _Gemino_ curse on the remaining pumpkins and cauldrons on the Slytherin table before moving onto the Hufflepuff table. Lysander and Freddie joined their ranks and they all went to the Ravenclaw table with Lonnie while Laurel and Gwyn walked to the Gryffindor table.

As per their plan James, Dom and Mani sat close by the high table, not close enough for it to seem suspicious but close enough that Laurel could work her own magic with a language charm on the goblets that were already in place. Then once Laurel was done the rest of their group would walk the long way back to the Gryffindor table, allowing Gwyn to charm the rest of the pumpkins and cauldrons.

Gwyn wrapped her arms around Mani's shoulders. "We're having a 'Last Hallowe'en at Hogwarts' celebration on the Ravenclaw table and you dickheads are invited."

"Coolio." Dominique said as stood and pushed Gwyn off her girlfriend on one swift movement. Mani accepted the peck to the lips her girlfriend gave her while Gwyn rubbed her now aching arm where Dom had pushed her.

"Hey!" James objected, quickly jumping to his feet to grab at the jumper Gwyn was wearing. "I was looking for this."

"It doesn't even fit you anymore." Was all Gwyn said. Little chatter followed as the five of them walked over to the rest of their friends who were already making work at annoying Jordan Wood and his girlfriend.

Freddie had his arms around Wood's shoulder, jerking the Ravenclaw prefect excitedly as he talked hurriedly. Lysander had his head in his hand and an exasperated look on his face while Lonnie looked particularly happy to see Jordan suffering the wrath of Freddie Weasley. Wood's girlfriend joined Lonnie with looking happy, but Gwyn imagined she would go back to looking as unamused as she usually did the second Freddie was pulled away from her boyfriend.

"Ready to enjoy our last Hallowe'en here?" Lysander asked Gwyn, not faltering in the slightest despite how much Gwyn knew he hated doing the 'sneaky' parts of pranks, when the last of their group sat down.

Gwyn looked quickly at Laurel who nodded firmly. "Emotionally, no. Physically, if I don't get sweets in me within the next minute I might have to eat you, sweet Scamander."

Luckily for Lysander they didn't have to wait long. Almost as soon as Gwyn had said those words and the last few students filed into the Great Hall the Hallowe'en celebrations begun.

Hundreds of live bats descended from the ceiling, swooping over the heads of the students and towards the high table where Professor McGonagall now stood proudly. Not nearly as extroverted as Albus Dumbledore had once been the speech before the feast begun was quick and simple; McGonagall really only told people to enjoy their Hallowe'en evening before pulling out her wand and, with what could be considered a dramatic flair for the Headmistress, she summoned the feast.

For half a minute everything was okay. Excitement filled the hall, even more so than already possessed every student; eager chattering and happy laughter bounced off every wall as the pumpkins and cauldrons filled with sweets, as cakes took their place in the center of the tables, as small but intricate chocolate sculptures caught everyone's eyes. That was until the sweets didn't stop.

At first the pumpkins and cauldrons just overflowed slightly, which seemed to be in great fun. The first years grabbed handfuls and tossed them at their friends, eyes wide as the spaces where the sweets had been were quickly filled by more sweets. But then they still didn't stop. Sweets covered the tables, growing the numbers until they fell over the edge and onto the laps of students. And they didn't stop. They kept multiplying over and over and over again until no tile could be seen on the floor, every inch lined with sweets.

The students seemed more confused than the professors who had begun to freak out, shouting loudly throughout the hall. Probably telling the students to stop touching the sweets, Gwyn imagined. Not that she could understand them. Any professor who had taken even touched their goblet to their lips – which was most of them, from what Gwyn could see – was no longer speaking English. They shouted, each professor's words coming out a different language from the other. It added to the confusion of the students.

Laughter filled the hall, sweets building up around the ankles of students and multi-lingual shouts bouncing off every wall. Gwyn couldn't help but laugh to, joining her friends as they all cackled wildly. Freddie had his arm around Lysander, who looked on the verge of crying. Laurel and Lonnie were huddled up closely muttering excitedly while Dominique and Manali seemed to be celebrating their groups success in their own way, feeding each other bits of chocolate and sweets with wide grins on their face. The only member of their group who was not present was the one Gwyn really wanted to celebrate their success with. She could only wonder how he had managed to get the Cloak of Invisibility on without anyone seeing, but she imagined the commotion in the hall helped.

So instead Gwyn enjoyed their victory silently, eating some of the chocolate sculpture as she tried not to touch too many of the sweets. She had managed to push them off her lap, but she already knew that there were going to be too many to count attacked to her knitted jumper. Well, James' knitted jumper.

Most of the student in the hall had fallen still, some of the older students shouting at them about the charm that was on the pumpkins and cauldrons. The flow of sweets had begun to slow down and the professors' no longer shouted in foreign languages. Everything was calmer. Or it was until five suits of armour came bursting through the doors.

It was Lonnie who had told them about the Electric Slide. It was a dance that muggle kids would do in primary school discos, he said and then he had demonstrated the dance. He was drunk, of course. The dance was messy and it ended with Lonnie falling flat on his butt, snorting loudly along with the laughter of his friends. That's why they had decided that this had to be the final part of their 'Hallowe'en Trio of Mayhem'.

"Pretty decent, right?" James whispered from beside her. It took everything Gwyn had not to punch him for just popping up beside her, but she managed to just jump tensely. James wrapped an arm around her shoulder when she smiled widely.

"Pretty fucking decent." She agreed with a chuckle.

The suits of armour had started the multiplication of sweets once again, which started the shouting of the professors. The muggleborns who clearly understood the dance before them laughed wickedly while the pureblood and most halfbloods seemed more confused than ever, watching the metal men slide down between the tables in their well-timed dance routine.

It was Professor Flitwick, who seemed to be speaking English from what Gwyn could hear of his high-pitched voice, who managed to pull out his wand, remove the sweets and stop the suits of armour. Even once everything had stopped there was still laughter loud in the room, which was only made worse when Professor McGonagall – who seemed to be speaking in a stressed Russian – tried to quieten the hall down once more.

The group of seventh years sitting at the Ravenclaw tables laughed louder than anyone else in the hall, prior knowledge of the event not making the scene before them any less amusing. Gwyn looked between her friends, wide smiles on their faces, with James' arm around her, for the first time since the year begun, feeling completly content.


End file.
